304#启5:3.“在天上，地上，地底下，没有人能打开、能观看那书卷”表示表明，没有人能凭自己知道并感知到关于总体上所有人和具体的每个人的生命状态的任何东西。这从“没有人能打开、能观看那书卷”和“在天上，地上，地底下都不能”的含义清楚可知：“没有人能打开、能观看那书卷”是指没有人能凭自己知道并感知到总体上所有人和具体的每个人的生命状态(对此，参看AE 303节)；“在天上，地上，地底下都不能”是指任何地方都没有人拥有这种知识和感知，甚至没有一丁点；因为“天上，地上，地底下”表示三层天堂；那里的所有人表示整体上的天堂。由于天堂为天堂，凭的是从主流入，并被天使接受的神性真理，根本不是天使的任何自我聪明，这自我聪明不是聪明，所以这句话表示没有人拥有凡来自他自己的任何知识或感知。天上的天使，以及世人都拥有一个自我；就本身而言，这自我无非是邪恶(参看HH 592节)。由于邪恶不接受任何聪明和智慧，所以可知，天使与世人一样，凭自己根本不理解任何真理，唯独靠主才能理解。天使之所以具有这种品质，是因为所有天使都来自人类，每个人死后都会保留他的自我；天使被主阻离他们自我的邪恶，并持守在良善中。所有天使都来自人类，没有一个人从起初就被创造为天使(参看LJ 14–22节)；他们都被主阻离邪恶，并持守在良善中(参看NJHD 166节)。
“天上”、“地上”、“地底下”之所以表示三层天堂，因为第三层或最高层天堂的天使住在大山上；第二层或中间层天堂的天使住在小山上，第一层或最低层天堂的天使住在这些大山小山下面的平原和山谷中。事实上，在灵界，就是灵人和天使所住的地方，也有大地，小山、大山，和世人所在的自然界一样。两者表面如此相似，以至于它们根本没有任何区别。因此，人们死后几乎不知道别的，只知道他们仍活在地上；当他们被允许观看我们的世界时，他们看不出任何不同之处。此外，最低层天堂的天使称第三层天堂的天使所住的地方为天，因为它高于他们；但他们称自己所住的地方为地。在大山上的第三层或最高层天堂在那些在下面，或地上的人看来，的确就像出现在我们面前的被一层薄云遮盖的大气层的最高区域，因而就像出现在我们面前的天空。由此可见，此处“天上”、“地上”、“地底下”具体表示什么。但关于这个主题的详情，可参看《天堂与地狱》，那里论述了天上的表象(HH 170–176节)；天使的居住区和住所(HH 183–189节)。
304b.由于人们不知道两个世界，就是自然界和灵界都有相似的地表，所以当他们阅读圣言时，只感觉那里的“天”和“地”是指我们眼前可见的天和世人所居的地；由此产生了关于在最后审判的那一日，天地毁灭，一个新天和一个新地被创造的观点；而事实上，那里的“天”和“地”是指灵人和天使所住的天和地，在灵义上是指与天使和世人同在的教会；因为教会同样与天使同在，就像与世人同在一样(可参看《天堂与地狱》，221–227节)；按灵意，是因为天使之所以为天使，人之所以为人，都不是凭两者所拥有的人形，而是凭与他们同在的天堂和教会。这就是为何天使和世人所住的“天”和“地”表示教会；“天”表示内在教会，也表示与天使同在的教会，而“地”表示外在教会，也表示与世人同在的教会。但几乎没有人会相信，圣言中的“地”是指教会，因为人们还不知道，圣言的每个细节都包含一个灵义。因此，一种物质观念就粘附于思维，并把它固定在一个词语最明显的意义上。我想通过一些经文来说明并证实这一点。
以赛亚书：
看哪，耶和华使地空虚，变为荒凉，又翻转地面。地必全然空虚，被劫掠净尽；可居之地必哀恸困惑；世界也必困惑；地被其居民亵渎；所以，诅咒吞灭大地，地上的居民要被焚烧，剩下的人稀少。在街上因酒而呼喊；地上的欢乐遭放逐；在地中间，必像摇过的橄榄树，又如葡萄酿酒以后所余的残粒。我们从地极听到了歌声，荣耀归于义人。闸门从高处打开，地的根基也震动；大地必将粉碎又粉碎，大地必将崩裂又崩裂，大地必将动摇又动摇；大地必东摇西晃，有如一个醉汉；又摇来摇去，好像帷帐；到那日，耶和华必察罚在高处的高处天象和地上的地上列王。(以赛亚书24:1, 3–6, 11, 13, 16, 18–21)
此处很明显，“地”不是指大地，而是指教会。可以纵观整个细节，认真思考一下。当提到“地”时，一个处于属灵观念的人不会想到地本身，而是会想到那地的人及其品质；天堂里的人更是如此；他们是属灵的，故会感知到所指的是教会。此处论述的是教会；它在构成它的爱之良善和信之真理方面的毁灭被描述为“耶和华使地空虚，变为荒凉”、“地必全然空虚，被劫掠净尽”、“它必哀恸困惑”、“它必被亵渎”、“诅咒吞灭大地”、“闸门从高处打开，地的根基也震动”、“大地必将粉碎，大地必将崩裂，大地必将动摇”、“大地必东摇西晃，有如一个醉汉”。这些话既不能论及大地，也不能论及任何民族，只能论及教会。
同一先知书：
看哪，耶和华的日子来到，使这地荒废；从其中除灭罪人。因为天上的众星群宿都不发光，日头一出，就变黑暗，月亮也不放光。我必使人比精金还珍稀；因此，我必使天震动，地必摇憾，离其本位。(以赛亚书13:9–10, 12–13)
从按灵意来理解的细节清楚可知，“地”在此表示教会。此处论述的主题是教会的结束，这时真理和良善，或信和仁都不在了。因为不放光的“众星群宿”表示真理和良善的知识；一出就变黑暗的“日头”表示爱；不放光的“月亮”表示信；比精金还珍稀的“人”表示聪明和智慧；这清楚表明，“耶和华的日子来到，使这地荒废；我必使天震动，地必摇憾，离其本位”表示什么；“耶和华的日子”是指当审判发生时，教会的最终结束；“地”是指教会。由此可见，大地本身不会摇憾，离其本位，而是说当爱和信不在时，教会就被移除了。“摇憾，离其本位”表示从它之前的状态中被移除。
又：
看哪，主像冰雹的洪水，毁灭的暴风雨和泛滥的大水。祂必用手把它摔落在地。我从主万军之耶和华那里听见对全地的灭绝和决定。(以赛亚书28:2, 22)
这些话论及审判那些属于教会之人的日子。当教会结束时的审判之日由“我从主万军之耶和华那里听见的对全地的灭绝和决定”来表示；因此，经上说：“像冰雹的洪水，毁灭的暴风雨和泛滥的大水。祂必用手把它摔落在地。”“冰雹”和“冰雹的洪水”表示摧毁教会真理的虚假；“毁灭”和“毁灭的暴风雨”表示摧毁教会良善的邪恶；“大水”表示邪恶之虚假。“洪水”或“泛滥”表示沉浸于邪恶和虚假，以及由此而来的教会的毁灭(可参看《属天的奥秘》，660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853节)；“摔落在地”或暴雨所表相同。
又：
大地必成为燃烧的沥青；它必世世代代荒废。(以赛亚书34:9–10)
“燃烧的沥青”表示源于自我之爱的一切邪恶，教会因这邪恶而完全灭亡，并被荒废；故经上说：“大地必成为燃烧的沥青；它必世世代代荒废。”谁看不出这些话不是指着大地本身说的？
又：
大地悲哀衰残；黎巴嫩羞愧且枯干。(以赛亚书33:9)
此处“大地”也表示教会，当虚假开始取代真理被接受并承认时，经上就说它“悲哀衰残”；因此，经上说：“黎巴嫩羞愧且枯干。”“黎巴嫩”与“香柏树”所表相同，即都表示教会的真理。
耶利米书：
有狮子从他的密林中上来，是毁坏列族的；它已从他的地方出来，要使你的地成为荒场；你的城邑必遭毁灭。我观看地，看，地空虚混沌。我观看天，天也无光。我观看大山，看哪，尽都震动，小山也都倾覆。耶和华说，全地必然荒凉。因此，地要悲哀，在上的诸天也必黑暗。(耶利米书4:7, 23–24, 27–28)
此处论述的也是教会的荒废；当真理和良善不复存在，取而代之的是虚假和邪恶时，教会的荒废就会发生。这种荒废被描述为“狮子从他的密林中上来，是毁坏列族的；它已从他的地方出来。”“狮子”和“毁坏列族的”表示进行荒废的虚假和邪恶。“震动的大山”和“倾覆的小山”表示对主之爱和对邻之仁。这就是“大山”和“小山”的含义，因为在天堂，那些处于对主之爱的人住在大山上，那些处于对邻之仁的人住在小山上(参看前面所说的，以及《天堂与地狱》，188节和那里的注)。“无光并黑暗的诸天”表示教会之人的内层，当这些内层被邪恶和虚假关闭时，它们就不允许天堂之光进入，而是接收地狱的黑暗以取代之。由此可见，“狮子和毁坏列族的使地成为荒场”表示什么，因而“我观看地，看，地空虚混沌”，以及“全地必然荒凉。因此，地要悲哀”表示什么，即所指的不是地，而是教会。
同一先知书：
这地悲哀，一切田野的青草枯干要到几时呢？由于住在其中者的邪恶，牲畜和飞鸟都灭绝了。全地荒废，因无人把它放在心上。荒废者来到旷野中一切光秃的高处；因为耶和华的剑从地这边直到地那边，尽行吞灭。他们播种了麦子，却收割了荆棘。(耶利米书12:4, 11–13)
此处“地”表示教会，这一点从经上说的话明显看出来，即：“这地悲哀，一切田野的青草枯干”，“由于住在其中者的邪恶，牲畜和飞鸟都灭绝了，因无人把它放在心上”。“一切田野的青草”表示教会的一切真理和良善，“牲畜和飞鸟”表示对良善和真理的情感；由于“地”表示教会，而此处论述了它被荒废，所以经上说：“荒废者来到旷野中一切光秃的高处；因为耶和华的剑从地这边直到地那边，尽行吞灭。他们播种了麦子，却收割了荆棘。”“荒废者来到的旷野中光秃的高处”表示仁爱的事物，“旷野”表示因没有真理而没有良善的地方；“耶和华的剑”表示摧毁真理的虚假；“从地这边直到地那边”表示教会的一切事物；“播种了麦子，却收割了荆棘”表示从圣言取得良善之真理，却把它们变成邪恶之虚假，“麦子”表示良善之真理，“荆棘”表示邪恶之虚假。
304c.以赛亚书：
荆棘蒺藜必长在我百姓的土地上；宫殿必被撇下，多民的城必被离弃。(以赛亚书32:13–14)
必长在土地上的“荆棘蒺藜”表示虚假和邪恶；必被撇下的“宫殿”表示良善所住的地方；必被离弃的“多民的城”表示有真理的地方；因为“城”表示真理的教义。
同一先知书：
全地必是荆棘和蒺藜之地；所有用锄头刨挖的山地，因惧怕荆棘和蒺藜，必不到那里去；只能作放牛之处，羊践踏之地。(以赛亚书7:24–25)
“荆棘和蒺藜”表示虚假和邪恶；这清楚表明“全地必是荆棘和蒺藜之地”表示什么。“用锄头刨挖的山地”表示那些出于对良善的爱而实行良善的人；与他们同在的，必不是虚假和邪恶，而是属灵良善和属世良善，这由“因惧怕荆棘和蒺藜，必不到那里去；只能作放牛之处，羊践踏之地”来表示；也就是说，牛必被送到那里，羊必在那里践踏；“牛”表示属世良善，“羊”表示属灵良善。
以西结书：
你的母亲是个母狮子；她蹲伏在狮子中间；她的一只幼崽长大了；他使城市荒凉；因他咆哮的声音，遍地和其中所充满的都荒废了。(以西结书19:2–3, 7)
“母亲”表示教会；“母狮”和“狮子”表示反对良善和真理的邪恶和虚假的能力；“狮子的咆哮”表示摧毁和荒凉的欲望；“荒凉的城市”表示教义及其真理，由此明显可知，“遍地和其中所充满的都荒废了”表示什么，即整个教会。
同一先知书：
他们吃饭必忧虑，喝水必惊惶，因其中居住的众人所行强暴的事，这地必然荒废，失掉其丰满；有人居住的城邑必变为荒凉，地也必变为荒废。(以西结书12:19–20)
此处“必变为荒凉、荒废的地和城邑”具有和前面一样的含义，即：“地”表示教会，“城邑”表示教义及其真理；所以经上说：“因其中居住的众人所行强暴的事。” 由于所表示的是这些事物，所以经上首先说“他们吃饭必忧虑，喝水必惊惶”；在圣言中，“饭”和“水”表示一切爱之良善和信之真理(参看《属天的奥秘》，9323节)，“吃”和“喝”表示教导和变成自己的(AC 3168, 3513, 3832, 9412节)。
诗篇：
我求告耶和华，向我的神呼求。那时，因祂发怒，地摇撼震动，山的根基也战抖摇撼。(诗篇18:6–7)
此处“地”表示教会，当教会因对真理的歪曲而败坏时，经上就说它“摇撼震动”；经上说，那时“山的根基战抖摇撼”，因为建立在信之真理上的爱之良善消失了；“山”表示爱之良善，如前所述，山的“根基”表示信之真理；这也表明“地”是指教会。
又：
地和其中所充满的，世界和住在其间的，都属耶和华；祂把地建立在海上，安定在江河之上。(诗篇24:1, 2)
“地”和“世界”表示教会，“所充满的”表示其一切事物；“祂建立地于其上的海”表示总体上真理的知识；“江河”表示教义；由于教会建立在这两者之上，所以经上说：“祂把地建立在海上，安定在江河之上。”这不可能论及地和世界，这一点对任何人来说都是显而易见的。
又：
地虽改变，山虽摇动到海心，其中的水虽砰訇翻腾，我们也不害怕。列族喧嚷，列国动摇。祂发声，地就消散。(诗篇46:2–3, 6)
显然，“地”表示教会，因为经上说它“改变、消散”，还说“山摇动到海心，其中的水砰訇翻腾”，“列族喧嚷，列国动摇”。“山”表示爱之良善(如前所述)，当真理的基本知识被扭曲时，经上就说它们“摇动到海心”；“水”表示教会的真理，当它们被歪曲时，经上就说它们“翻腾”；“列族”表示教会的良善，在反面意义上表示教会的邪恶；“列国”表示教会的真理，在反面意义上表示教会的虚假；以及那些处于前者和后者的人。
又：
神啊，你丢弃了我们；你曾发怒，求你使我们恢复安息。你使地震动，崩裂；求你将裂口医好，因为地在摇动。(诗篇60:1–2)
显而易见，这些话论及教会，而不是地，因为经上说：“你使地震动，崩裂；求你将裂口医好，因为地在摇动。”由于“地”表示教会，在此表示荒废的教会，所以经上说：“神啊，你丢弃了我们；你曾发怒，求你使我们恢复安息。”
又：
我到了所定的日期，必按正直施行审判。地和其上所有的居民都熔化了；我必使地的柱子坚牢。(诗篇75:2, 3)
此处，同样“地”表示教会，当真理失败，而通过真理才有良善时，经上就说教会“熔化”。真理因支撑教会而被称为教会的“柱子”，神必使这“柱子”坚牢；显然，坚牢的，不是地上的柱子。由于此处描述的是教会的恢复，所以经上说：“我到了所定的日期，必按正直施行审判。”在此被称为“地的柱子”的教会真理也被称为“地的基座”(撒母耳记上2:8)；在以赛亚书，被称为“地的根基”：
难道你们不明白地的根基吗？祂坐在地的大圈之上，使君王归于虚无，使地上的审判官成为虚空。(以赛亚书40:21–23)
归于虚无的“君王”和祂使之成为虚空的“审判官”表示来自自我聪明和人自己的判断的东西。
耶利米书：
必有喧哗达到地极。耶和华如此说，看哪，必有灾祸发出，从这族到那族，并有大暴风从地边刮起。到那日，从地极到地极，都有耶和华所杀戮的人。(耶利米书25:31–33)
“地极”和“地边”表示教会的终端所在的地方，邪恶和虚假开始的地方；“从地极到地极”表示教会的一切事物；由此可知，“必有喧哗达到地极”，“有大暴风从地边刮起”，以及“到那日，从地极到地极，都有耶和华所杀戮的人”表示什么。“杀戮的人”表示那些教会的真理和良善灭绝的人(参看《属天的奥秘》，4503节)。
304d.以赛亚书：
海岛看见就都害怕；地极也都战兢，他们近前来。我要使旷野或沙漠变为水池，使干地变成水泉。(以赛亚书41:5, 18)
教会在外邦人当中的建立被如此描述；它们由“海岛”和“地极”来表示；因为在圣言中，“海岛”和“地极”表示那些远离教会的真理和良善的人，因为他们没有圣言，因而是无知的。“我要使旷野变为水池，使干地变成水泉”表示教会要建立在他们当中。因没有真理而尚未有良善的地方被称为“旷野或沙漠”；由于同样的原因，它被称为“干地”；“水池”和“水泉”表示良善，因为它们表示真理；事实上，一切属灵良善，也就是教会的良善，都是通过真理获得的。
同一先知书：
祸哉！古实河外翅膀遮蔽之地。去吧！快行的使者，要到被践踏的民族那里去，江河掠夺了它的地。(以赛亚书18:1–2)
没有人知道“翅膀遮蔽之地”和“江河掠夺的地”是什么意思，除非他知道，“地”表示教会，“河”表示虚假；“翅膀遮蔽之地”是指一个在神性真理方面处于幽暗的教会(这些由“翅膀”来表示，参看AE 283节)；“古实河外”表示在来自圣言字义的知识本身方面，这些知识已经被歪曲了；“使者要到、江河掠夺了其地的被践踏的民族”表示教会之外那些因无知而处于虚假的人；“河”表示教义的真理，在反面意义上表示虚假；“使者要到他们那里去”表示他们应该被邀请，好叫教会可以与他们同在，或说他们应该被邀请接受教会。
又：
因万军之耶和华的烈怒，地都昏暗。(以赛亚书9:19)
昏暗的“地”表示处于幽暗，也就是处于虚假的教会
事物；因为邪恶之虚假可以说处于幽暗，而真理处于光明。
又：
耶和华要将人迁走，在这地中间被撇弃的地方必增多。(以赛亚书6:12)
耶和华要迁走的人表示智慧人，抽象地说表示智慧(可参看AE 280节)；“在这地中间被撇弃的地方必增多”表示完全没有良善，因为没有真理；“地中间”表示真理处于最大或最高之光的地方；因此，当那里没有光时，幽暗就笼罩整个地方；因此，就没有任何真理了。
又：
耶和华必以口中的杖击打地，以嘴里的气处死恶人。(以赛亚书11:4)
必击打地的“耶和华口中的杖”表示在终端的真理，也就是圣言字义的真理；必处死恶人的“嘴里的气”表示圣言灵义中的真理；经上说这些真理“击打地”，并且当恶人被真理宣判时，经上就说“处死恶人”；因为每个人都被真理审判和宣判。
又：
地得安息，享平静。地狱因你而惊动利乏音人，就是地上的一切权势。凡看见你的，都要说，使大地战抖，使列国震动，使世界如同旷野，使城邑倾覆的，是这个人吗？你毁坏你的地，杀戮你的民。要预备杀戮他的子孙，免得他们兴起来，得了这地，地面满了城邑。我要在我地上打折亚述人，在我山上将他践踏。(以赛亚书14:7, 9, 16–17, 20–21, 25)
这些话论及巴比伦王，巴比伦王表示通过对统治天地的爱而对真理的摧毁；圣言的真理，或教会事物只是作为手段而服务于这爱；此处论述的是他们所受的诅咒。
地狱所惊动的“利乏音人(即死人)”表示那些处于可怕的虚假说服，因而被称为地上的权势之人；“使大地战抖，使列国震动，使世界如同旷野，使城邑倾覆”表示扭曲教会的一切事物；“地”和“世界”表示教会，“列国”表示构成教会的真理；“城”表示教义的一切事物。由此清楚可知，“你毁坏你的地，杀戮你的民”表示什么。要在地上被打折，在山上被践踏的“亚述人”表示来自反对真理的虚假的推理；“被打折”表示被驱散，“被践踏”表示被完全摧毁；做这一切所在的“山”表示爱之良善和仁爱掌权的地方，因为那里，或对那些在那里的人来说，来自虚假的一切推理都被驱散或摧毁了。
又：
哀号吧，他施的船只！这是从基提地向他们披露的。他施的女子啊，要像尼罗河一样流遍你的地；不再有腰带的束缚了。看哪，迦勒底人之地；亚述人使它成为乱堆。耶和华必察罚推罗，使她仍得卖淫的赏金，与地面上的地上各国行淫。(以赛亚书23:1, 10, 13, 17)
此处所指的，不是他施的船只，也不是推罗，基提地，迦勒底人之地，亚述人，这从本章的细节可以看出来；“他施的船只”表示真理和良善的知识，“推罗”也是；“基提地”表示偶像崇拜的东西；“迦勒底人之地”表示对真理的亵渎和毁坏，“亚述人”表示来自虚假的推理。由此清楚可知，“哀号吧，他施的船只，因为推罗荒凉了”表示不再有任何真理的知识；“这是从基提地向他们披露的”表示由此而来的偶像崇拜；“不再有腰带的束缚了”表示不再有真理与良善的任何一致性了；“看哪，迦勒底人之地”表示因此有对真理的亵渎和毁坏；“亚述人使它成为乱堆”表示来自虚假的推理已经毁灭了它；“得卖淫的赏金，与地面上的地上各国行淫”表示对整个教会的一切真理的歪曲。
又：
亚述王必冲入犹大，涨溢泛滥，直到颈项；以马内利啊，他展开翅膀，遍满你广阔的地土。(以赛亚书8:8)
此处，“亚述王”也表示来自反对真理的虚假的推理；“亚述王必冲入犹大，涨溢泛滥”表示这将毁坏教会的良善(“涨溢”论及虚假，因为虚假由“水”来表示)；“直到颈项”表示因而将不再有良善与真理的任何联系；“以马内利啊，他展开翅膀，遍满你广阔的地土”表示虚假将反对主教会的一切真理；“广阔的地土”表示教会的真理(参看《天堂与地狱》，197节)，因而在反面意义上表示虚假；因此，“他展开翅膀”表示来自反对真理的虚假的推理；“遍满”表示全部；因此，“遍满广阔的地土”表示教会的一切真理。
又：
在那日，耶和华的苗必华美荣耀，地的果实必成为以色列幸存者的华丽光彩。(以赛亚书4:2)
必华美荣耀的“耶和华的苗”表示教会的真理；必华丽光彩的“地的果实”表示教会的良善；“以色列”表示属灵教会。显然，必华美荣耀、华丽光彩的，是教会的真理和良善，而不是苗和地的果实。当说教会的真理和良善时，意思是说信之真理和爱之良善，因为一切真理都属于信，一切良善都属于爱。
又：
耶和华啊，你增添民族；你得了荣耀；你挪开一切地极。(以赛亚书26:15)
耶和华所增添的“民族”表示那些处于爱之良善的人，祂将这些人判给祂自己；祂所挪开的“地极”表示侵扰教会的虚假和邪恶，祂将教会从这些虚假和邪恶中洁净出来。
又：
你的眼必见王的荣美，必见辽远之地。(以赛亚书33:17)
“见王的荣美”表示看见纯正的真理，这些真理唯独来自主；“见辽远之地”表示看见聪明和智慧的延伸。
又：
我使你作人民的约，复兴那地。诸天哪，应当欢呼！大地啊，应当快乐！众山哪，应当扬声歌唱！(以赛亚书49:8, 13)
这论述了主和祂的降临；“我使你作人民的约，复兴那地”描述了祂建立教会，“复兴那地”是指重建教会；众所周知，主并没有把那地归回犹太人，而是说祂在外邦人当中建立了一个教会。“诸天哪，应当欢呼！大地啊，应当快乐！众山哪，应当扬声歌唱”描述了由此而来的喜乐；“诸天”是指那些处于教会的内层真理的天使所在的天堂，“大地”是指世人当中的教会，“众山”是指那些处于对主之爱的良善之人。
304e.耶利米书：
地满了通奸者；因受咒诅，地就悲哀；旷野的草场都枯干了。(耶利米书23:10)
“通奸者”表示那些玷污教会良善的人；故经上说：“地满了通奸者；因受咒诅，地就悲哀。”枯干的“旷野的草场”表示这样一个教会没有属灵的滋养；被称为“旷野”的，是因没有真理而没有良善的地方。
同一先知书：
有干旱临到她的众水，它们就必干涸；因为这是雕刻偶像之地。(耶利米书50:38)
“有干旱临到众水，它们就必干涸”表示真理不复存在，或说不再有真理，“水”是指真理；“因为这是雕刻偶像之地”表示被来自自我聪明、他们称之为真理的虚假毁坏的教会，“雕刻的偶像”表示这些虚假。
以西结书：
结局临到了地的四境；这地遍满流血的审判，这城充满强暴。(以西结书7:2, 23)
“结局临到了地的四境”表示教会的最后时期和最后状态，就是教会结局的时候；四境是指教会的一切真理和良善，在反面意义上是指教会的一切虚假和邪恶，因而是指教会的一切事物。“这地遍满流血的审判”表示它充满各种邪恶，“血”是指向爱与仁之良善施暴，彻底摧毁它们的邪恶；“这城充满强暴”表示同样施暴的这教会的教义。
同一先知书：
我要使天上所有的光体都在你上面变为昏暗，使黑暗笼罩你的地。(以西结书32:8)
“天上的光体”是指日月星辰；“日”表示爱，“月”表示由此而来的信，“星”表示良善和真理的知识；由此清楚可知，“我要使它们都在你上面变为昏暗”表示什么，即这些不复存在；由此也清楚可知，“我要使黑暗笼罩你的地”表示什么，即教会有虚假，“黑暗”表示虚假，“地”表示教会。
又：
你要指着以色列地发预言，对大山小冈、水沟山谷说，看哪，我是为你们的，我要转向你们，使你们得以耕作撒种。(以西结书36:6, 9)
“以色列地”表示教会；“大山小冈、水沟山谷”表示教会的一切事物，从最初事物到最后事物；“大山”是指对主之爱的良善，“小冈”是指对邻之仁的良善；这些是教会的最初事物；“水沟山谷”是指系教会最后事物的真理和良善。这就是含义，或说所表示的是这些事物，这一点从本节开头所说的可以看出来，即：在天堂，那些处于对主之爱的良善之人住在大山上，那些处于对邻之仁的人住在小山或山冈上，那些处于最低层天堂的良善和真理的人住在平原和山谷；“水沟”是指那里的教义之真理；“我要转向你们，使你们得以耕作撒种”表示要植入它们。
何西阿书：
到那日，我必垂听诸天，天必垂听地；地必垂听五谷、新酒和油；这些都必垂听耶斯列；我为自己必将她种在这地。(何西阿书2:21–23)
显然，这些话要属灵地，而不是照着字义属世地来理解，因为经上说：“这些都必垂听耶斯列；我为自己必将她种在这地。”因此，“天”表示主所在的天堂；“地”表示主所在的教会；“五谷、新酒和油”表示属灵滋养的一切事物，也就是爱与仁之良善，以及信之真理。
玛拉基书：
祂必为你们不毁坏土地的果实，也不让你们田间的葡萄树不结果子；所有民族都要称你们为有福，你们必成为可喜爱之地。(玛拉基书3:11–12)
这些话论及有教会存在于中间和里面的人；由于“土地的果实”和“田间的葡萄树”表示教会的良善和真理(“果实”表示良善，“葡萄树”表示它的真理)，所以它们被称为“可喜爱之地”。
诗篇：
愿你良善的灵引导我到正直的地；耶和华啊，求你为你的名使我活过来。(诗篇143:10–11)
“正直的地”表示有正直和真实的东西在里面的教会；由于“耶和华的灵”表示神性真理，每个人都通过这真理获得属灵生命，所以经上说“愿你良善的灵引导我”、“耶和华啊，求你使我活过来”。
由于“地”表示教会，并且哪里有教会，哪里就有天堂，所以天堂被称为“活人之地”(the land of the living)和“生命之地”(the land of life)；在以下经文中被称为“活人之地”，以赛亚书：
我说，我在活人之地必不见耶。(以赛亚书38:11)
以西结书：
他们曾在活人之地使人惊恐。(以西结书32:23–27)
在诗篇，被称为“生命之地”：
我若不信在生命之地见到美物。(诗篇27:13)
摩西五经：
英石必是完整和公正的，伊法或量器也必是完整和公正的，好使你在地上的日子可以长久。(申命记25:15)
“在地上得以长久的日子”并非表示世上的长寿，而是表示在教会，因而在天堂的生命状态；因为“长久”论及良善及其增长，“日子”表示生命的状态；完整和公正的“英石”，也就是一个重量，完整和公正的伊法，也就是一个测量，表示真理和良善，以及它们的品质，这两者一起表示公义，“英石”表示真理，“量器”表示良善，由于不通过重量和测量来欺骗就是公正，所以这些人将拥有教会的生命，后来则拥有天堂的生命，这由他们“在地上的日子可以长久”来表示。
十诫的这条诫命所表相同：
当尊敬父母，使你的日子在地上得以长久。(出埃及记20:12)
那些尊敬父母的人之所以拥有天堂和那里的幸福，是因为天堂只认识主，不认识其他父，那里的所有人都通过祂重生了；并且在天堂，“母亲”是指教会，一般是指主的国度。那些敬拜主、寻求主国度的人将拥有天堂的生命，这是显而易见的；在那些在世上尊敬父母的人当中，有许多人在世上活得时间并不长。
马太福音：
温柔的人有福了，因为他们必承受地土。(马太福音5:5)
“承受地土”不是指拥有地土，而是指拥有天堂和那里的祝福；“温柔的人”表示那些处于仁之良善的人。
以赛亚书：
看哪，必有童女怀孕生子，给祂起名叫神与我们同在；祂必吃奶油与蜂蜜，好叫祂晓得弃恶择善；因为在这孩子还不晓得弃恶择善之先，你所憎恶的地必被它的两个王撇弃。到那日，因为出的奶多，祂就得吃奶油；在地中间所剩的人都要吃奶油与蜂蜜。(以赛亚书7:14–16, 21–22)
众所周知，这些话说的是主和祂的降临；他必吃的“奶油与蜂蜜”表示爱之良善；“奶油”表示属天和属灵之爱的良善，“蜂蜜”表示属世之爱的良善；这些表示祂甚至将在人身方面把神性变成自己的；“吃”表示变成自己的。“在祂还不晓得弃恶择善之先，地必被撇弃”表示当祂在世上出生时，整个世界没有保留教会的任何东西；由于教会所在的那些地方弃绝一切神性真理，败坏圣言的一切事物，并为了支持自己而解释圣言，所以经上论到这地，也就是教会，说：你在它的两个王面前所憎恶的；“王”表示天堂和教会的真理；“两个王”表示内在或属灵意义上的圣言的真理和外在或属世意义上的圣言的真理。“奶”表示真理，良善通过真理而来；由于“奶油”表示由此而来的良善，所以“因为出的奶多，在地中间所剩的人都要吃奶油”表示一切真理都要来自良善。
304f.马太福音：
在时代的完结，地上的众支派都要哀哭。(马太福音24:30)
这一章所论述的“时代的完结”是指教会的末期，就是审判发生的时候；“地上的众支派”表示教会的一切真理和良善，当它们不复存在时，经上就说它们“哀哭”。
路加福音：
日月星辰要显出异兆，地上也有列族的困苦，咆哮的海和波浪；人因恐惧，因预料到那要临到全地的事，都昏绝了；因为天上的列强必被摇动。那日子如同罗网一样，要临到所有居住在全地面上的人。(路加福音21:25–26, 35)
此处也论述当审判发生时的教会末期，“地”和“世界”在此表示教会。“地上列族的困苦”、“对那要临到全地、临到所有居住在全地面上的人之事的恐惧和预料”表示临到那些在灵界的人，而不是临到那些在自然界的各个国家或土地上的人。灵界也有土地，这一点可见于本节开头所说的内容；最后的审判在灵界实现，这一点可见于《最后的审判》这本小著。前面提到要显出异兆的“日”、“月”、“星”表示什么，即：“日”表示爱，“月”表示由此而来的信，“星”表示良善和真理的知识；“咆哮的海和波浪”表示从被错误和歪曲利用的圣言字义上对真理的推理和攻击。“必被摇动的天上列强”表示字义上的圣言，因为字义是天堂里属灵真理的基础。这一点可参看《天堂与地狱》论述天堂通过圣言与人结合的章节(303–310节)。
以赛亚书：
诸天哪，应当歌唱；地的较低部分啊，应当欢呼；众山哪，森林和其中所有的树木啊，要出声歌唱；因为耶和华救赎了雅各。我是耶和华，是创造万物的，是独自铺张诸天，亲自铺开大地的。(以赛亚书44:23–24)
“诸天哪，应当歌唱；地的较低部分啊，应当欢呼；众山哪，森林和其中所有的树木啊，要出声歌唱”表示天堂和教会的一切事物，包括内在的和外在的，这一切都与良善和真理有关。“诸天”表示内在事物，“地的较低部分”表示外在事物；“山”表示爱之良善，“森林”表示属世真理，其中的“树木”表示真理的知识。由于所表示的是这些事物，所以经上说，“因为耶和华救赎了雅各”；在圣言中，“雅各”表示外在教会，“以色列”表示内在教会；“铺张诸天，铺开大地”表示在各个方面的教会，它因真理的增多和良善的结实而在那些属于教会的人中间被铺张和铺开。
撒迦利亚书：
耶和华铺张诸天，建立大地，形成人灵于人中间。(撒迦利亚书12:1)
此处以同样的方式，“诸天”和“大地”表示在各个方面，因而在其内层和外层方面的教会；因此，经上还说：“形成人灵于人中间”
耶利米书：
那些不是创造天地的神明，必从地上从天下让它们消亡。耶和华用能力创造大地，用智慧预备世界，用聪明铺张诸天。祂一发声，天上就有众水，祂使云雾从地极上腾。(耶利米书10:11–13; 51:15–16)
由于“天”和“地”表示教会，如前所述，所以经上说：“耶和华用能力创造大地，用智慧预备世界，用聪明铺张诸天。”因此，经上还说：“祂一发声，天上就有众水，祂使云雾从地极上腾。”耶和华所发的“声”表示从祂发出的神性真理；“天上的众水”表示丰富的真理，因为“水”表示真理；“祂使之从地极上腾的云雾”表示教会的终端真理，“云雾”是指那些真理；“地极”是指教会的终端；由于“神明”表示教义和敬拜的虚假，这些虚假摧毁教会，所以经上说“那些不是创造天地的神明，必从地上从天下让它们消亡。”
诗篇：
那用智慧造天、铺地在水以上的耶和华。(诗篇136:5–6)
由于“天”和“地”表示教会，而教会由真理形成，教会的真理构成聪明，所以经上说，耶和华用智慧造天、铺地在水以上，“水”表示教会的真理。
以赛亚书：
那创造诸天，铺张穹苍，铺开地与地的出产，赐气息或生命给地上的人，赐灵给行走其上之人的神耶和华如此说。(以赛亚书42:5)
“创造诸天”和“铺开地与地的出产”表示形成教会，并改造那些在教会里的人，“出产”表示教会的一切事物；所以经上说：“赐气息或生命给地上的人，赐灵给行走其上之人。”这一点可参看前文(AE 294节)。
同一先知书：
诸天哪，自上而滴，愿云降下公义；愿大地裂开，产出救恩的果子。我造地，又造人在地上。创造诸天的耶和华；形成、制造和奠定大地的神自己如此说，我不在隐密处、在黑暗之地的所在说话。(以赛亚书45:8, 12, 18–19)
此处“天”和“地”明显表示教会的一切事物，包括其内在和外在；因为经上说：“诸天哪，自上而滴，愿云降下公义；愿大地裂开，产出救恩的果子。”“云”表示教会的内层，因为属灵人的心智内层就是与他同在的天堂。与教会同在的人，就有天堂与他同在(参看《天堂与地狱》，30–57节)。“创造诸天，形成、制造和奠定大地”表示完全建立教会。
又：
看哪，我造新天新地！从前的事不再被记念。(以赛亚书65:17)
“造新天新地”表示建立一个新教会的内层和外层，包括天上的和地上的，如前所述。
又：
这样的事谁曾听见？地岂能一日而生？一个民族岂能一时而产？我所要造的新天新地，怎样在我面前存立，你们的种和你们的名字也必照样存立。(以赛亚书66:8, 22)
由于“地”表示教会，所以经上说：“地岂能一日而生？一个民族岂能一时而产？”在圣言中，“生产”、“出生”、“生”、“产”表示属灵的生和产，它们属于信和爱，因而属于改造和重生；前面提到了新天和新地表示什么。
耶利米书：
我创造了大地，以及地面上的人和兽；谁在我眼里正确，我就把地给谁。(耶利米书27:5)
“地面上的人和兽”表示属灵人和属世人里面对真理和良善的情感(参看AE 280b；《属天的奥秘》，7424, 7523, 7872节)；由于与人们同在的这些情感构成他们里面的教会，所以经上说：“我创造了大地，以及地面上的人和兽；谁在我眼里正确，我就把地给谁。”众所周知，神并没有把地只给那些在祂眼里正确的人，还给了那些不正确的人；然而，祂只把教会赐给那些正确的人；“正确”表示真理及其情感。
304g.以赛亚书：
天必像烟云消散，地必如衣服渐渐旧了，其上的居民也要如此死亡。(以赛亚书51:6)
“必消散的天”和“必如衣服渐渐旧了的地”表示教会；这教会一步一步跌落，最终荒凉；但可见的天和可居的地不会如此；所以经上说：“其上的居民也要如此死亡。”“死亡”表示属灵地死亡。下面这句话所表相同：
天地都要废去。(马太福音24:35; 马可福音13:31; 路加福音16:17)
启示录：
四位天使站在地的四角，捂住地上的四风，叫风不吹在地上。(启示录7:1)
“地的四角”和“地上的四风”表示整体上教会的一切真理和良善；因为它们和天堂的四个方位所表相同(这些具有这种含义，可参看《天堂与地狱》关于天堂的四个方位的章节，141–153节)。“捂住四风”表示真理和良善不会流入，因为它们不被接受；故经上说“叫风不吹在地上。”启示录的其它地方(如10:2, 5–6, 8;12:16; 13:13; 16:2, 14; 20:8–9, 11; 21:1)的“地”也表示教会；此外还有圣言的其它许多地方的“地”，这些地方太多了，不再引用。
由于“地”，尤其“迦南地”表示教会，因教会在那里，还由于那里的教会是一个代表性教会，所以那里的一切事物都具有代表性，主论到它们所说的一切都表示教会的属灵或内层事物，甚至直到地本身及其出产；如摩西五经中的这些话：
若你谨守诫命，耶和华就领你进入美地，那地有河流，有泉源和深渊的水从谷中和山上流出；那地有小麦、大麦、葡萄树、无花果树、石榴树；那地有橄榄树、油和蜜；你在那地必吃食物，并不缺乏；它必一无所缺；那地的石头是铁，山内可以挖铜；你在这美地必吃得饱足。(申命记8:6–10)
这些话描述了教会的一切事物，包括它的内层和外层；但要解释每个细节表示什么，这将是冗长乏味的，不符合当前的目的。
“地”因表示教会而在蒙福之列，如果他们照诫命生活，那么：
地就生出土产，恶兽从地上绝迹，剑必不穿越这地。(利未记26:3–4, 6)
“地就生出土产”表示教会将有良善和真理；“恶兽绝迹”表示摧毁教会的邪恶情感和欲望将不复存在；“剑必不穿越这地”表示虚假不会逐出真理。
由于“地”表示教会，所以经上也规定：
第七年地要守安息，地上不可有劳作。(利未记25:1–8)
因此，经上还说：
地因他们的罪恶也玷污了，因他们可憎恶之事，就把他们吐出来。(利未记18:25–28).
由于“地”表示教会：
主就吐唾沫在地上，用唾沫和泥，把泥抹在瞎子的眼睛上，说，你往西罗亚池子里去洗。(约翰福音9:6–7, 11, 15)
所以当文士和法利赛人向主问通奸时被拿的妇人时，主就两次弯腰在地上写字(约翰福音8:6, 8)；这表示教会充满通奸，也就是说充满对良善的玷污和对真理的歪曲；因此，主对他们说：
你们中间谁是没有罪的，就让他先拿石头打她；但他们一个一个地，从老的到最后一个都出去了。(约翰福音8:7, 9)
在圣言中，绝大多数事物也有一个反面意义，“地”也是如此，“地”在反面意义上表示荒废的教会；当爱之良善和信之真理不复存在，取而代之的是邪恶和虚假时，教会就荒废了；由于这些诅咒人，所以“地”在反面意义上表示诅咒，如以下经文：以赛亚书14:12; 21:9; 25:12; 26:19, 21; 29:4; 47:1; 63:6; 耶利米哀歌2:2, 10; 以西结书26:20; 32:24; 民数记16:29–33; 26:10; 以及其它地方。
304. (303): and from the signification of, in heaven, neither upon the earth, nor under the earth, as denoting not only that there is no one anywhere, but also that there is not anything [of such knowledge and perception]; for by, in heaven, upon the earth, and under the earth, are meant the three heavens; and by all therein heaven in the aggregate is meant; and because heaven is heaven from the Divine truth, that flows in from the Lord, and is received by the angels, and not at all from any intelligence proper to the angels, for this is not intelligence, therefore the same words signify that no one has any [knowledge or perception] whatever from himself. (That the angels in heaven, just as men in the world, have a proprium, which viewed in itself is nothing but evil, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 592.) And because evil does not receive anything of intelligence and wisdom, it follows, that angels just as men understand nothing at all of truth from themselves, but solely from the Lord. The reason why the angels are of such a quality, is, that all angels are from the human race, and that every man retains his proprium after death; and they are withheld from the evils of their proprium, and are kept in goods by the Lord. (That all the angels are from the human race, and none created such from the beginning, may be seen in the small work concerning the Last Judgment 14-22; and that all are withheld from evil, and kept in good by the Lord, in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 166.)
[2] The reason why in heaven, upon the earth, and under the earth, signifies the three heavens, is because the angels, who are in the third or highest heaven, dwell upon mountains; and those who are in the second or middle, upon hills; and those who are in the first or ultimate heaven, in plains and valleys under them. For in the spiritual world, where spirits and angels dwell, there are earths, hills, and mountains, just as in the natural world where men are. As to appearance there is such a similitude that they do not at all differ. Therefore men after death scarcely know but that they are yet living upon earth, and when they are permitted to look into our earth, they see nothing dissimilar. Besides the angels who are in the ultimate heaven, call that heaven, where the angels of the third heaven dwell, because it is high above them, but where they themselves dwell, they call earth. The third or highest heaven also, which is upon mountains, appears to those who are below, or upon the earth, only as the highest region of the atmosphere does before us, covered with a light and shining cloud, thus as heaven appears before us. Hence it may be seen what is specifically meant in this place, by, in heaven, upon the earth, and under the earth. (But more may be seen concerning these things in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, where appearances in heaven are treated of, n. 170-176: and concerning the habitations and mansions of the angels, n. 183-189.)
[3] Because men have not known that there are similar appearances of earth in both worlds, the natural and the spiritual, therefore, when they have read the Word, they have simply perceived that by the heaven and the earth there, are meant the heaven visible before our eyes, and the earth inhabited by men; hence has arisen an opinion concerning the destruction of heaven and earth, and concerning the creation of a new heaven and a new earth, at the day of the Last Judgment; when, yet, by the heaven and the earth are there meant the heaven and the earth where spirits and angels are, and, in the spiritual sense, the church with angels and with men; for the church is equally with angels as with men, as may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 221-227). It is said, in the spiritual sense, because an angel is not an angel, nor is a man a man, from the human which both have, but from heaven and the church with them. Hence it is that by the heaven and by the earth, where angels and men dwell, the church is signified; by heaven the internal church, and also the church with the angels and by earth the external church, and also the church with men. But it can hardly be believed, that by the earth in the Word is meant the church, because it is not yet known that in the particulars of the Word there is a spiritual sense. As a result of this a material idea adheres to, and keeps the thought fixed on the most obvious meaning of a word, I therefore wish by some passages thence to illustrate and confirm it.
[4] In Isaiah:
"Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and maketh it void, and he shall overturn the faces thereof; in emptying, the earth shall be emptied, and in spoiling it shall be spoiled: the habitable earth shall mourn and be confounded, the world shall be confounded; the earth shall be profaned under its inhabitants, wherefore a curse shall devour the earth, and the inhabitants of the earth shall be burnt up, and few men left. A shout over the wine in the streets, the gladness of the earth shall be banished; there shall be in the midst of the earth as the shaking of the olive, as the gleanings when the vintage is done. From the end of the earth we have heard songs, Glory to the just. The floodgates from on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth are moved; in breaking the earth is broken, in rending the earth is rent asunder, in moving the earth is moved; in tottering the earth shall totter as a drunkard; and it shall be moved to and fro as a veil; but it shall be in that day, Jehovah shall visit upon the host of the height in the height, and upon the kings of the earth who are upon the earth" (24:1, 2 [3], 4-6, 11, 13, 16, [18], 19-21, 23).
Here it is quite evident, that by the earth is not meant the earth but the church. The particulars shall be gone through and considered. He who is in a spiritual idea does not think of the earth itself when the earth is named, but of the people there, and of their quality; much more so those in heaven: who, because they are spiritual, have a perception of the church. The subject treated of in this passage is the church destroyed. Its destruction as to the good of love and the truth of faith, which constitute it, is described by Jehovah emptying the earth and making it void, by the earth in emptying being emptied, in spoiling being spoiled, by mourning and being confounded, by being profaned and a curse devouring it, by the flood-gates from on high being opened and the foundations thereof being moved, by being broken, rent asunder, and put in motion, by staggering as a drunkard. These things can be said neither of the earth, nor of any nation, but of the church.
[5] In the same:
"Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners out of it. I will put the heaven in commotion, for the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof shall not shine with their light, the sun shall be darkened in its rising, and the moon shall not make her light to shine. I will make a man more rare than pure gold; wherefore I will move the heavens, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place" (13:9, 10, 12, 13).
That the earth here denotes the church is evident from each particular understood in the spiritual sense. The subject here treated of is its end, when truth and good, or faith and charity, are no more. For by the stars and constellations which shall not give their light, are signified the knowledges of truth and good; by the sun being darkened in its rising, is signified love; by the moon not causing her light to shine, is signified faith; by a man being made more rare than pure gold, is signified intelligence and wisdom: hence it is plain what is signified by, "Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh to lay the land desolate. I will move the heavens, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place." The day of Jehovah denotes the final end of the church, when judgment takes place. The earth denotes the church. It is evident that the earth itself is not shaken out of its place, but that the church is removed where love and faith are not. To be shaken out of its place, signifies to be removed from a former state.
[6] In the same:
"Behold, the Lord, as an inundation of hail, a storm of slaughter, as an inundation of mighty waters, shall cast down to the earth with the hand; I have heard a consummation and decision from the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth upon the whole earth" (Arcana Coelestia 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853; the same, by casting down to the earth or a violent pouring down of rain.
[7] In the same:
"The earth shall be [turned] into burning pitch; from generation to generation it shall be waste" (34:9, 10).
By burning pitch is signified every evil springing from the love of self, by which the church entirely perishes and is vastated; therefore it is said, the earth shall be [turned] into burning pitch; from generation to generation it shall be waste. Who cannot see that such things are not said of the earth itself?
[8] In the same:
"The earth mourneth and languisheth; Lebanon hath blushed and faded away" (33:9).
Here also the earth denotes the church, which is said to mourn and to languish when falsities begin to be seized upon and acknowledged as truths; therefore it is said, Lebanon hath blushed and faded away. Lebanon signifies the same as the cedar, that is, the truth of the church.
[9] In Jeremiah:
"The lion is come out of his thicket, and the destroyer of the nations is gone forth from his place to lay waste thy land; thy cities shall be destroyed. I beheld the earth, when, lo, it is empty and void; and towards the heavens, when, lo, they have no light. I beheld the mountains, when, lo, they are moved, and all the hills are overturned. Jehovah said, The whole land shall be a waste. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black" (Heaven and Hell 188, and the notes there, letter c. By the heavens where no light was, which were black, are signified the interiors of the men of the church, which, when they, are closed by evils and falsities, do not admit the light from heaven, but instead thereof darkness from hell. From these considerations it is evident what is signified by the lion and the destroyer of the nations reducing the earth to desolation: also by, "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was empty and void"; as also by "the whole land shall be a waste; for this shall the earth mourn," namely, that the earth is not understood, but the church.
[10] In the same:
"How long shall the earth mourn, and the herb of every field [wither], for the wickedness of them that dwell therein the beasts are consumed, and the birds. The whole earth is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. The spoilers are come upon all the hills in the desert; for the sword of Jehovah is devouring from the end of the earth even to the end of the earth. They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns" (12:4, 11-13).
That the earth here signifies the church is evident, from its being said that the earth shall mourn, and the herb of every field [shall wither], and that the beasts and the birds are consumed for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, and because no man layeth it to heart. By the herb of every field is signified every truth and good of the church, and by the beasts and birds are signified the affections of good and truth; and because the church is signified by the earth, and it is here treated of as vastated, it is therefore said, "the spoilers are come upon all the hills in the desert; for the sword of Jehovah is devouring from the end of the earth to the end of the earth; they have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns." By the hills in the wilderness upon which the spoilers came, are signified the things of charity; the desert denotes where there is no good, because there is no truth by the sword of Jehovah is signified falsity destroying truth from the end of the earth to the end of the earth, signifies all things of the church; by sowing wheat and reaping thorns, is signified to take from the Word the truths of good, and to turn them into falsities of evil; wheat denoting the truths of good, and thorns denoting the falsities of evil.
[11] In Isaiah:
"Upon the land of my people shall come up the thorn and briar: the palace shall be deserted; the multitude of the city shall be forsaken" (32:13, 14).
The thorn and the briar which shall come upon the earth, signify falsity and evil; the palace that shall be deserted, signifies where good dwells; and the multitude of the city which shall be forsaken, signifies where there are truths; for a city signifies the doctrine of truth.
[12] In the same:
"All the earth shall become a place of briars and thorns: on the other hand, all the mountains which shall be weeded with the hoe, there shall not come thither the fear of briars and thorns; but there shall be the sending forth of the ox, and the treading of the sheep" (7:24, 25).
Briars and thorns signify falsity and evil; hence it is evident what is signified by all the earth shall become a place of briars and thorns. By the mountains which shall be weeded with the hoe, are signified those who do goods from the love of good; that falsity and evil shall not be with them, but both spiritual and natural good, is signified by the fear of briars and thorns not coming thither, but there shall be the sending forth of the ox, and the treading of the sheep; or thither shall the oxen be sent, and there the sheep shall tread; the ox signifying natural good, and the sheep spiritual good.
[13] In Ezekiel:
"Thy mother is a lioness; she lay down among lions; one of her whelps rose up, he has devastated the cities; the earth is desolated and the fulness thereof, by the voice of his roaring" (19:2, 3, 7).
By mother is signified the church; by a lioness and lions, the power of evil and of falsity against good and truth; by the roaring of the lion is signified the lust of destroying and desolating; by the cities which he laid waste, is signified doctrine with its truths; hence it is evident what is signified by, the earth was desolated, and the fulness thereof, namely, the whole church.
[14] In the same:
"They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their waters with astonishment, that the earth may be devastated from its fulness, for the violence of all them that dwell therein; and the inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the earth shall be a desolation" (Arcana Coelestia 9329). And by eating and drinking are signified instruction and appropriation (n. 3168, 3513, 3832, 9412).
[15] In David:
"I called upon Jehovah, and cried unto my God. Wherefore the earth shook and trembled, and the foundations of the mountains quaked and shook when he was wroth" (Psalms 18:6, 7).
Here the earth is for the church, which is said to shake and tremble when it is perverted by the falsification of truths; and in this case the foundations of the mountains are said to quake and to be moved, for the goods of love, which are founded upon the truths of faith, vanish. For mountains denote the goods of love (as above), and their foundations denote the truths of faith; hence also, it is evident that the earth denotes the church.
[16] In the same:
"The earth is Jehovah's and the fulness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein; and he hath founded it upon the seas, he hath established it upon the rivers" (Psalms 24:1, 2).
The earth and the world stand for the church, and fulness stands for all things thereof; the seas upon which He hath founded it, denote the knowledges of truth in general; the rivers denote doctrinals. Because upon the former and the latter the church is founded, it is therefore said, that He would found it upon the seas, and establish it upon the rivers. That this cannot be predicated of the earth and the world, is evident to any one.
[17] In the same:
"Shall we not fear, when the earth shall be moved, and when the mountains shall be shaken In the heart of the seas; when the waters thereof shall roar and be troubled? Let the nations rage, let the kingdoms be moved; when he uttereth his voice, the earth melteth away" (Psalms 46:2, 3, 6).
It is evident that by the earth is meant the church, because it is said to be removed and to melt, also that the mountains shall be shaken in the heart of the seas; the waters thereof also shall be troubled, and let the nations rage, and the kingdoms be moved. By mountains are signified (as above) the goods of love, which are said to be shaken in the heart of the seas, when the essential knowledges of truth are perverted; by waters are signified the truths of the church, which are said to be troubled when they are falsified; by nations are signified the goods of the church, and, in an opposite sense, the evils thereof; and by kingdoms, the truths of the church, and, in an opposite sense, its falsities; also those who are in the former and the latter.
[18] In the same
"O God, thou hast forsaken us, thou hast been angry; restore rest to us. Thou hast made the earth to tremble, thou hast broken it in pieces; heal the breaches thereof, for it shaketh" (Psalms 60:1, 2).
That these things are said of the church and not of the earth is evident; for it is said, "Thou hast made the earth to tremble, thou hast broken it in pieces: heal the breaches thereof, for it shaketh"; and because the earth signifies the church, here the church vastated, therefore it is said, "O God, thou hast forsaken us, thou hast been angry; restore rest to us."
[19] In the same:
"When I take the appointed time, I will judge uprightly. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved; I will bear up the pillars of it" (Psalms 75:2, 3).
Here, also, the earth is for the church, which is said to be dissolved when truths fail, through which there is good. Because truths support the church, they are called its pillars, which God will bear up: that the pillars of the earth are not borne up is evident. Because the restoration of the church is here described, it is therefore said, "When I take the appointed time, I will judge uprightly." The truths of the church, which are here called the pillars of the earth, are also called the bases of the earth (1 Sam. 2:8); and the foundations of the earth, in Isaiah:
"Do ye not understand the foundations of the earth? It is he that dwelleth upon the circle of the earth, that bringeth the princes to nothing; and maketh the judges of the earth as vanity" (40:21-23).
By the princes who are brought to nothing, and by the judges of the earth whom He maketh as vanity, are signified the things that are from one's own intelligence, and from one's own judgment.
[20] In Jeremiah:
"A tumult cometh even to the end of the earth. Thus said Jehovah, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great wind shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. And the slain of Jehovah shall be in that day from the end of the earth even unto the end thereof" (25:31-33).
By the end of the earth, and by the sides of the earth, are signified where the ultimates of the church are, and where evils and falsities begin; and from the end of the earth to the end thereof, signifies all things of the church. Hence it may be known what is signified by a tumult shall come to the end of the earth, and a great wind shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth, and by the slain of Jehovah shall be in that day from the end of the earth unto the end thereof. By the slain are signified those with whom the truths and goods of the church are extinguished; as may be seen, n. 4503.
[21] In Isaiah:
"The isles saw, they feared; the ends of the earth trembled, they drew near, and came. I will make the desert a pool of waters, and the dry land a spring of waters" (41:5, 18).
The establishment of the church amongst the Gentiles is so described, they being signified by the isles and the ends of the earth for islands and the ends of the earth in the Word signify those who are farther apart from the truths and goods of the church, because they have not the Word, and consequently they are in ignorance. That the church shall be established among them, is signified by, "I will make the desert a pool of waters, and the dry land a spring of waters." It is called a desert where there is not yet good, because there is not truth, from which it is also called the dry land. A pool of waters, and a spring of waters, signify good, because they signify truth; for all spiritual good, which is the good of the church, is procured by truths.
[22] In the same:
"Woe to the land shadowed with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush. Go, ye ambassadors, to a nation trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled" (283). Beyond the rivers of Cush signifies, as to knowledges themselves from the sense of the letter of the Word, which are falsified; the nation trodden down, to which the ambassadors should go, whose land the rivers have spoiled, signifies those out of the church who are in falsities from ignorance; rivers denoting truths of doctrine, and, in an opposite sense, falsities; that the ambassadors should go to them, signifies that they should be invited, in order that the church may be with them.
[23] In the same:
"In the wrath of Jehovah Zebaoth the earth is darkened" (9:19).
The earth darkened signifies the things of the church in thick darkness or in falsities; for the falsities of evil are said to be in thick darkness, but truths in the light.
[24] In the same:
"Jehovah shall remove man, and deserts shall be multiplied in the midst of the earth" (280). Deserts shall be multiplied in the midst of the earth, signifies, that there is nothing altogether good, because there is nothing true; the midst of the earth denoting where truth is in the greatest light; therefore when the light is not there, thick darkness pervades the whole; then, there is nowhere any truth.
[25] In the same:
Jehovah "shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the impious" (11:4).
The rod of the mouth of Jehovah which shall smite the earth, signifies truth in ultimates, which is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word; and the breath of the lips with which He shall slay the impious, signifies the truth in the spiritual sense of the Word. These are said to smite the earth, and to slay the impious, when they are condemned thereby; for every one is judged by truths, and is condemned by them.
[26] In the same:
"The earth is at rest, and is quiet. Hell hath stirred up on thy account the Rephaim, all the powerful of the earth. They that see thee shall say, Is this the man that moveth the earth, that maketh the kingdoms to tremble; he hath made the world into a desert, and destroyed the cities thereof? Thou hast destroyed thy land; thou hast slain thy people. Prepare slaughter for his sons, that they may not rise again and possess the earth, and the faces of the earth be filled with cities. I shall break Asshur in my land, and upon my mountains shall I tread him under foot" (14:7, 9, 16, 17, 20, 21, 25)
These things are said concerning the king of Babel, by whom is signified the destruction of truth through the love of ruling over heaven and earth, to which the truths of the Word, or the things of the church, serve as means. In this place it is treated concerning their damnation. The dead (Rephaim) whom hell has stirred up, are those who are in the direful persuasion of falsity, and who are thence called the powerful of the earth: to move the earth, to make the kingdoms tremble, to make the world into a desert, and to destroy the cities thereof, signifies to pervert all things of the church. The earth and the world denote the church; the kingdoms denote the truths which constitute it; and the cities denote all things of doctrine. Hence it is evident what is signified by, thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people. By Asshur who shall be broken in the earth, and be trodden under foot upon the mountains, is signified reasoning from falsities against truths; to be broken is to be dissipated; and to be trodden under foot is to be altogether destroyed. The mountains upon which [this is said to be done], signify where the good of love and charity reigns, for there, or with those [who are there], all reasoning from falsities is dissipated or destroyed.
[27] In the same:
"Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; from the land of Kittim it shall come plainly to them. Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish; the girdle is no more. Behold the land of the Chaldeans; Asshur hath founded it into heaps. Jehovah will visit Tyre, that she may return to the hire of whoredom, and commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the earth upon the faces of the world" (23:1, 10, 13, 17).
That neither the ships of Tarshish, Tyre, the land of Kittim, the land of the Chaldeans, nor Asshur, are here meant, is evident from the particulars in this chapter; but by the ships of Tarshish are meant the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good, also by Tyre; by the land of Kittim, what is idolatrous; by the land of the Chaldeans, the profanation and destruction of truth; and by Asshur, reasoning from falsities. Hence it is evident that, howl, ye ships of Tarshish, because Tyre is devastated, signifies that there are no longer any knowledges of truth; it shall come plainly to them from the land of Kittim, signifies what is idolatrous thence; the girdle is no more, signifies that there is no longer a coherence of truth with good. Behold the land of the Chaldeans, signifies that thus there is profanation and destruction of truth; Asshur hath founded it into heaps, signifies that reasoning from falsities has destroyed it; to return to the hire of whoredom, and to commit fornication with all the kingdoms upon the faces of the world, signifies falsification of all the truths of the whole church.
[28] In the same:
The king of Asshur "shall go through Judah; he shall overflow and pass over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the shakings of his wings shall be the fulness of the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel" (Heaven and Hell 197, and that hence, in an opposite sense, it signifies falsities; therefore the shakings of his wings signify reasonings from falsities against truths. Fulness signifies all; thus, the fulness of the breadth of the earth all the truths of the church.
[29] In the same:
"In that day shall the shoot of Jehovah be for gracefulness and glory, and the fruit of the earth for magnificence and an ornament to the remains of Israel" (4:2).
The shoot of Jehovah which shall be for gracefulness and glory, signifies the truth of the church; and the fruit of the earth which shall be for magnificence and for an ornament, signifies the good of the church; Israel signifies the spiritual church that the shoot and the fruit of the earth shall not be for gracefulness, glory, magnificence, and ornament, is evident; but the truth and good of the church shall be. When it is said the truth and good of the church, the truth of faith and the good of love are meant; for all truth is of faith, and all good is of love.
[30] In the same:
"Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah; thou art glorified, thou hast removed all the ends of the earth" (26:15).
The nation to which Jehovah has added, signifies those who are in the good of love, whom He has adjudged to Himself; the ends of the earth which He has removed, signify the falsities and evils that infest the church, and from which He has purified them.
[31] In the same:
"Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty, they shall behold the land of remotenesses" (33:17).
To see the king in his beauty, denotes genuine truth, which is from the Lord alone; to behold the land of remotenesses, signifies the extension of intelligence and wisdom.
[32] In the same:
"I have given thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the earth. Sing, O heavens, and exult, O earth; and resound, ye mountains, with a song" (49:8, 13).
The Lord and His Advent are here treated of; the establishment of the church by Him is described by, "I have given thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the earth," to restore the earth denoting to re-establish the church; that the Lord did not restore the earth to the Jewish people is known, but that He established the church among the Gentiles. The joy in consequence is described by, "Sing, O heavens, exult, O earth, and resound, ye mountains, with a song." By the heavens are meant the heavens where are angels who are in the interior truths of the church; by the earth is meant the church among men; and by the mountains, those who are in the good of love to the Lord.
[33] In Jeremiah:
"The land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the earth mourneth, the pastures of the desert are dried up" (23:10).
Adulterers signify those who adulterate the goods of the church: therefore it is said, "The land is full of adulterers, and because of the curse the earth mourneth"; the pastures of the desert which are dried up signify no spiritual nourishment in such a church; desert being predicated where there is no good, because no truth.
[34] In the same:
"A drought is upon her waters, that they may be dried up; for it is a land of graven things" (50:38).
A drought upon the waters, that they may be dried up, signifies that truths no longer [exist], waters denoting truths, "for it is a land of graven things," signifies the church destroyed by falsities which are from man's own intelligence, which they call truths; graven things signify those falsities.
[35] In Ezekiel:
"The end cometh upon the four quarters of the earth; the earth is full of the judgment of bloods, and the city is full of violence" (7:2, 23).
"The end cometh upon the four quarters of the earth," signifies the last time and the last state of the church, when its end is; the four quarters denote all the truths and goods thereof, and, in an opposite sense, all the falsities and evils thereof, thus all things of the church. "The earth is full of the judgment of bloods," signifies that it is filled with evils of every kind; bloods denote the evils which offer violence to the goods of love and charity, and entirely destroy them. "The city full of violence," signifies the doctrine of that church acting in a similar way.
[36] In the same:
"All the luminaries of light in heaven will I make dark over thee, and will set darkness upon thy earth" (33:8).
By the luminaries of light in the heavens are meant the sun, moon, and stars; and by the sun is signified love, by the moon faith thence, and by the stars the knowledges of good and truth: hence it is evident what is signified by, "I will make them dark over thee"; namely, that they should no longer exist; hence, also, it is evident what is signified by, "I will set darkness upon thy earth"; namely, that there are falsities in the church, darkness denoting falsities, and earth denoting the church.
[37] In the same
"Prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains and hills and rivers and valleys, Behold, I am with you, and I will look back unto you, that ye may be tilled and sown" (36:6, 9).
By the land of Israel is meant the church; the mountains, hills, rivers, and valleys, signify all things of the church, from the first to the last things thereof; mountains denote the goods of love to the Lord; hills denote the goods of charity towards the neighbour; these are the first things of the church. The rivers and valleys denote the truths and goods which are the last things of the church. That these things are signified is evident from what has been stated in this article; namely, that those dwell upon mountains in heaven who are in the good of love to the Lord, those upon hills who are in charity towards the neighbour, and those in plains and valleys who are in goods and truths, in the ultimate heaven; rivers denote the truths of doctrine there; to inseminate them, is signified by, "I will look back unto you, that ye may be tilled and sown."
[38] In Hosea:
"In that day, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn and the new wine and the oil, and they shall hear Jezreel; and I will sow him unto me in the earth" (2:21-23).
That these things are to be spiritually understood, and not naturally according to the sense of the letter, is evident; for it is said, that these shall hear Jezreel; and I will sow him unto me in the earth; wherefore by the heavens are meant the heavens where the Lord is; and by the earth, the church where, also the Lord is; by the corn, now wine, and oil, are signified all things of spiritual nourishment, which are the goods of love and charity, and the truths of faith.
[39] In Malachi:
"He shall not destroy for you the fruit of the earth, neither shall the vine in the field be barren for you; all nations shall proclaim you blessed, and ye shall be a land of well-pleasing" (3:11, 12).
These things are said of those with whom and in whom the church exists; and because by the fruit of the earth and the vine in the field, are signified the goods and truths of the church - by the fruit the goods, and by the vine the truths thereof - therefore they are called a land of well-pleasing.
[40] In David:
"Let thy good Spirit lead me into the land of uprightness. Make me to live, O Jehovah, for thy name's sake" (Psalms 143:10, 11).
The land of uprightness stands for the church in which is what is right and true; and because the spirit of Jehovah signifies the Divine truth, and every one thereby receives spiritual life, it is therefore said, "Let thy good Spirit lead me," and, "O Jehovah; make me to live."
[41] Because the earth signifies the church, and where the church is there is heaven, it is therefore called the land of the living and the land of life. The land of the living in Isaiah:
"I said, I shall not see Jah in the land of the living" (38:11).
And in Ezekiel:
"Who caused terror in the land of the living" (32:23-27).
The land of life in David:
"Unless I had believed to see good in the land of life" (Psalms 27:13).
[42] In Moses:
"It shall be an entire and just stone, the ephah shall be entire and just, that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth" (Deuteronomy 25:15).
The prolongation of days upon the earth does not signify the long duration of life in the world, but the state of life in the church, thus in heaven; for to prolong is said of good and its increase, and day signifies the state of the life; and because a stone entire and just, which was a weight, and an ephah entire and just, which was a measure, signify truth and good and their quality, and both together signify justice - the stone truth, and the measure good - and because not to deceive by weight and measure is to be just, therefore the life of the church shall be theirs, and afterwards life in heaven, which is meant by their days upon the earth being lengthened.
[43] The same is signified by this precept of the Decalogue:
"Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth" (Exodus 20:12).
The reason why they have heaven and the happiness there, who honour father and mother, is, because in heaven no other father is known but the Lord, for by Him all there have been regenerated. And in heaven by mother is meant the church, and in general, the kingdom of the Lord. That those who worship the Lord and seek His kingdom, will have life in heaven, is evident; also that many of those who honour father and mother in the world, do not live there long.
[44] In Matthew:
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (5:5).
The inheritance of the earth does not signify the possession of the earth, but the possession of heaven and blessedness there the meek signify those who are in the good of charity.
[45] In Isaiah:
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name God-with-us; butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil and to choose the good; for before the child shall know to refuse the evil and to choose the good, the land shall be deserted which thou scornest before her two kings. It shall come to pass in that day, by reason of the abundance of giving milk, he shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the midst of the land" (7:14-16, [21], 22).
That these things are spoken of the Lord and His Advent is known; the butter and honey which He shall eat, signify the goods of love; butter, the good of celestial and spiritual love; honey, the good of natural love; by these it is meant that He would appropriate to Himself the Divine even as to the Human, to eat signifying to appropriate. That the earth shall be deserted before He knows to refuse the evil and to choose the good, signifies, that there would not be anything of the church remaining in the whole world when He would be born; and because those, where the church was, rejected every Divine truth, and perverted all things of the Word, and explained it in favour of self, it is therefore said concerning the earth, that is, the church, "which thou scornest before her two kings." Kings signify the truths of heaven and of the church; two kings, the truth of the Word in the internal or spiritual sense, and the truth of the Word in the external or natural sense. Milk signifies the truth through which good comes; and because butter signifies the good thence, therefore by reason of the abundance of giving milk, butter shall every one eat that is left in the midst of the land, signifies that every truth shall be of good.
[46] In Matthew:
"In the consummation of the age, all the tribes of the earth shall mourn" (24:30).
The consummation of the age which is treated of in that chapter, is the last time of the church, when the judgment takes place; all the tribes of the earth signify all the truths and goods of the church, which are said to mourn when they are no more.
[47] In Luke:
"And then shall there be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring; men expiring for fear, and for expectation of those things that are coming upon the whole earth; for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." That day "as a snare shall come upon all who sit upon the face of the whole earth" (303-310.)
[48] In Isaiah:
"Sing, ye heavens; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; resound with singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein; for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob. I am Jehovah that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself" (44:23, 24).
"Sing, ye heavens: shout, ye lower parts of the earth; resound with singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein," signify all things of heaven and of the church, as well the internal as the external, which all have reference to good and truth. Things internal are signified by the heavens, things external by the lower parts of the earth; mountains denote the goods of love, the forest denotes natural truth, and the trees therein denote the knowledges of truth. Because such things are signified it is said, "For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob"; by Jacob in the Word is signified the external church, and by Israel the internal church. To stretch forth the heavens and to spread abroad the earth, signifies the church on all sides, which is stretched forth and spread abroad by the multiplication of truth and the fructification of good, with those who belong to the church.
[49] In Zechariah:
"Jehovah, who spreadeth abroad the heavens, and foundeth the earth, and formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him" (12:1).
Here also by the heavens and by the earth is signified the church on all sides, thus as to its interiors and exteriors; therefore also it is said, "formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him."
[50] In Jeremiah:
"The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth, let them perish from the earth and from under the heavens." Jehovah "that maketh the earth by his power, that prepareth the world by his wisdom, and that spreadeth abroad the heavens by his intelligence. At the voice which he giveth forth a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth" (10:11-13:51:15, 16).
Because the heavens and the earth signify the church (as above), therefore it is said, "Jehovah that maketh the earth by his power, that prepareth the world by his wisdom, and spreadeth abroad the heavens by his intelligence"; and therefore it is also said, "At the voice which he giveth forth a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth." By the voice which Jehovah gives forth, is signified Divine truth proceeding from Him; by the multitude of waters in the heavens are signified truths in abundance, for waters signify truths; and by the vapours which He causeth to ascend from the end of the earth, are signified the last truths of the church; vapours denote those truths, and the end of the earth is the last of the church. And because gods signify the falsities of doctrine and of worship, which destroy the church, it is therefore said, The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth, let them perish from the earth and from under the heavens."
[51] In David:
"Jehovah who by intelligence, maketh the heavens. Stretcheth forth the earth above the waters" (Psalms 136:5, 6).
Because heaven and earth signify the church, and the church is formed by truths, and the truths of the church constitute intelligence, it is therefore said, "Jehovah maketh the heavens by intelligence, and stretcheth forth the earth above the waters," waters denoting the truths of the church.
[52] In Isaiah:
"Thus saith Jehovah God, that createth the heavens, and stretcheth them out, that spreadeth forth the earth and the products thereof, that giveth life to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein" (294.
[53] In the same:
"Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds flow down with justice; let the earth open itself, and fructify salvation. I have made the earth, and created man upon it. Thus said Jehovah who createth the heavens; God himself who formeth the earth and maketh it and prepareth it; not in secret have I spoken, in a place of darkness of the earth" (Heaven and Hell 30-57.) By creating the heavens, and forming the earth, and making and preparing it, is signified fully to establish the church.
[54] In the same:
"Behold, I that create new heavens and a new earth, neither shall the former be remembered" (65:17).
By creating new heavens and a new earth, is signified to establish a new church as to its interiors and exteriors, both in the heavens and on the earths (as was said above).
[55] In the same:
"Who hath heard such a thing? shall the earth bring forth in one day? shall a nation be born at once? For as the new heavens and the new earth which I shall make, shall stand before me, so shall your seed and your name stand" (66:8, 22).
Because the earth signifies the church, therefore, it is said, shall the earth bring forth in one day? shall a nation be born at once? By bringing forth and birth, and by generating and generation in the Word, are signified spiritual birth and generation, which are of faith and love, thus reformation and regeneration; what the new heavens and new earth signify has been mentioned above.
[56] In Jeremiah:
"I have made the earth, man and the beast that are upon the faces of the earth, and I give it to him who is right in my eyes" (7424, 7523, 7872); and because those affections with men constitute the church in them, it is therefore said "I have made the earth, man and the beast that are upon the faces of the earth, and I give it to him who is right in my eyes." That God does not give the earth solely to those who are right in His eyes, but also to those who are not right, is known; not the church, however, except to those who are right; right signifies truth and the affection thereof.
[57] In Isaiah:
"The heavens shall vanish like smoke, and the earth shall wax old as a garment, and the dwellers therein shall die in like manner" (51:6).
The heavens which shall vanish away, and the earth which shall wax old like a garment, signify the church; this successively falls away and at length is desolated, but not so the visible heaven and the habitable earth; wherefore it is said, "and the dwellers therein shall die in like manner," to die signifying to die spiritually. The same is signified by
"The heavens and earth shall pass away" (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 16:17).
[58] In the Apocalypse:
"Four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the winds should not blow on the earth" (7:1).
By the four corners of the earth, and the four winds of the earth, are signified all the truths and goods of the church in the aggregate; for the same things are signified by them as the four quarters of heaven. (That these signify those things may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, "On the Four Quarters in Heaven," n. 10:2, 5, 6, 8; 12:16; 13:13; 16:2, 14; 20:8, 9, 11; 21:1), besides many other places in the Word, too numerous to be adduced.
[59] As the earth signified the church, and especially the land of Canaan, because the church was there, and because the church which was there was a representative church, therefore all things that were there were representative, and all that was said to them by the Lord signified the spiritual or interior things of the church, and this even in regard to the land itself and its products; as in these words in Moses:
If thou keep the precepts, "Jehovah will lead thee into a good land, into a land of rivers of water, of fountains, of depths springing out of valley and mountain; a land of wheat, of barley, of the vine, of the fig, of the pomegranate; a land of the olive, of oil, of honey; a land where thou shalt eat bread without scarceness; it shall lack nothing; a land where the stones are iron, and from the mountains shall be digged copper, and thou shalt eat, and shalt be satisfied in this good land" (Deuteronomy 8:1, 7-10).
By these are described all things of the church, both interior and exterior; but to expound what each particular signifies, would be tedious, and does not belong to this place.
[60] On account of the land signifying the church, it was therefore among the blessings, that if they lived according to the precepts, the earth should give its produce, the evil beasts should cease out of the earth, nor should the sword pass through the land (Leviticus 26:3, 4, 6). That the earth should give its produce, signifies that in the church there should be good and truth; that the evil beasts should cease, signifies that the evil affections and lusts, which destroy it, should no longer exist; that the sword should not pass through the land, signifies that falsity should not cast out truth.
[61] Because the earth signified the church, it was also appointed that
The seventh year should be kept as the Sabbath of the earth,
and that there should be no labour upon it (Leviticus 25:1-8). And therefore it is also said that
The land was polluted on account of the evils, and that on account of the abominations it would spew them forth (Leviticus 18:1-28).
And because the land signified the church, the Lord therefore spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man, and said,
"Go wash thee in the pool of Siloam" (John 9:6, 7, 11, 15).
And therefore the Lord, when the Scribes and Pharisees asked Him concerning the woman taken in adultery, stooped down, and wrote twice on the ground (John 8:6, 8), signifying that the church was full of adulteries, that is, full of the adulteration of good and the falsification of truth; therefore also the Lord said to them,
"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her; but they went out one by one, beginning from the elders, even unto the last" (vers. 7, 9).
[62] Because most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also has the earth, which, in that sense, signifies the church vastated, which takes place when the good of love and the truth of faith no longer exist, but instead thereof evil and falsity; and because these condemn man, by the earth in that sense is also signified damnation, as in the following places (Isaiah 14:12; 21:9; 25:12; 26:19, 21; 29:4; 47:1; 63:6; Lamentations 2:2, 10; Ezekiel 26:20; 32:24; Num. 16:29-33; 26:10), and elsewhere.
304. Verse 3. And no one was able, in heaven nor upon the earth, nor under the earth, to open the book, neither to look thereon, signifies manifestation that no one knows and perceives of himself anything whatever of the state of life of all in general, and of each one in particular. This is evident from the signification of "And no one was able to open the book, neither to look thereon," as being that no one of himself knows and perceives the states of the life of all in general and of each one in particular (of which see just above, n. 303); also from the signification of "in heaven nor upon the earth nor under the earth," being that no one anywhere has such knowledge, not even in the slightest degree; for "in heaven, upon the earth, and under the earth," means the three heavens; and by all who are there heaven in its entire complex is meant. And as heaven is heaven from the Divine truth that flows in from the Lord and is received by the angels, and not at all from any self-intelligence of the angels, for this is no intelligence, so the same words signify that no one has any knowledge or perception whatever from himself. That angels in heaven as well as men in the world have a selfhood [proprium], which regarded in itself is nothing but evil, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 592), and as evil receives nothing of intelligence and wisdom, it follows that angels equally with men understand nothing at all of truth from themselves, but solely from the Lord. Angels are such for the reason that all angels are from the human race, and every man retains after death what is his own [suum proprium], and angels are withheld from the evils that pertain to what is their own [proprii eorum] and are kept in goods by the Lord. (That all angels are from the human race, and not one is created such from the beginning, see in the small work on The Last Judgment 14-22; and that they are all withheld from evil, and kept in good by the Lord, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 166.)
[2] "In heaven," "upon the earth," and "under the earth," signify the three heavens, because the angels that are in the third or highest heaven dwell upon mountains; and those that are in the second or middle, upon hills; and those that are in the first or lowest, in plains and valleys below these. For in the spiritual world, where the spirits and angels are, it is just as it is in the natural world where men are, that is, there are lands, hills, and mountains; and in appearance the resemblance is such that there is no difference at all; therefore men after death scarcely know otherwise than that they are still living on the earth, and when the privilege is granted them to look into our world, they see nothing dissimilar. Moreover, the angels who are in the lowest heaven call that heaven where the angels of the third heaven dwell, because it is high above them, and where they themselves dwell they call earth; moreover, the third or highest heaven, which is upon the mountains, does not appear, to those who are below or upon that earth, otherwise than as the highest region of the atmosphere covered with a thin bright cloud appears before us, thus as the sky appears to us. From this it can be seen what is here meant, specifically, by "in heaven," "upon the earth," and "under the earth." (But more can be seen on this subject in the work on Heaven and Hell, where Appearances in Heaven are treated of, n 170-176; and The Habitations and Dwelling Places of Angels, n. 183-189)
[3] As men have not known that there is a like surface of the earth in both worlds, the natural and the spiritual, therefore they have not perceived otherwise when they have read the Word than that "heaven" and "earth" there mean the heaven visible before our eyes, and the earth inhabited by men; from this arose the belief in the destruction of heaven and earth, and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth at the day of the Last Judgment; when yet "heaven" and "earth" there mean the heaven and the earth where spirits and angels dwell, and in the spiritual sense the church with angels and with men (for there is a church with angels equally as with men, as may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 221-227). It is said, in the spiritual sense, for an angel is not an angel, nor is a man a man, from the human form, which both have, but because of heaven and the church with them. This is why "heaven" and "earth," where angels and men dwell, signify the church; "heaven" the internal church and also the church with angels, and "earth" the external church and also the church with men. But since it can only with difficulty be believed that "earth" in the Word means the church, because it is not yet known that in every particular of the Word there is a spiritual sense, whence a material idea adheres and keeps the thought fixed in the nearest meaning of the expression, I wish to illustrate and confirm it by a number of quotations.
[4] In Isaiah:
Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty and maketh it void, and He shall disfigure the faces thereof; in emptying the earth shall be emptied, and in spoiling it shall be spoiled; the habitable earth shall mourn and be confounded; the world shall be confounded; the earth shall be profaned under its inhabitants; therefore a malediction shall devour the earth, and the inhabitants of the earth shall be burnt up, and a man shall be rare. A shout over the wine in the streets; the gladness of the earth shall be banished; it shall be in the midst of the earth as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is ended. From the uttermost part of the earth we have heard songs, Glory to the righteous. The floodgates from on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth quake; in breaking the earth is broken, in rending the earth is rent asunder, in moving the earth is moved; in tottering the earth shall totter as one drunken; and it shall be moved to and fro as a veil; but it shall be in that day that Jehovah will visit upon the host of the height in the height, and upon the kings of the earth who are upon the earth (Isaiah 24:1, 3-6, 11, 13, 16, 18-21).
Here it is very clear that "earth" does not mean the earth, but the church. Let the particulars be run over and considered. One who is in a spiritual idea does not think, when "earth" is mentioned, of the earth itself, but of the people on it and their quality; still more is this true of those who are in heaven; who, since they are spiritual, perceive that the church is meant. Here the church destroyed is treated of; its destruction in respect to the good of love and the truth of faith, which constitute it, is described by "Jehovah maketh the earth empty and maketh it void," "in emptying the earth shall be emptied, in spoiling it shall be spoiled," "it shall mourn and be confounded," "it shall be profaned," and "a malediction shall devour it;" "the floodgates from on high are opened, and the foundations of it quake;" "it is broken," "it is rent asunder," "it is moved," "it shall totter as one drunken." These things can be said neither of the earth, nor of any nation, but only of the church.
[5] In the same:
Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, to lay the earth waste; and He shall destroy the sinners out of it. For the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof do not cause their light to shine, the sun hath been darkened in its rising, and the moon maketh not bright her light. I will make a man more rare than fine gold; wherefore I will cause the heavens to tremble and the earth shall quake out of its place (Isaiah 13:9-10, 12-13).
It is clear from the particulars understood in the spiritual sense, that "earth" here means the church. The end of the church is here treated of, when truth and good, or faith and charity, are no more. For "the stars and constellations that do not cause their light to shine," signify the knowledges of truth and good; the "sun that has been darkened in its rising," signifies love; the "moon that maketh not bright her light," signifies faith; a "man made more rare than fine gold," signifies intelligence and wisdom: this makes clear what is signified by "Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh to lay the earth waste. I will cause the heavens to tremble and the earth shall quake out of its place;" "the day of Jehovah" is the last end of the church, when there is the judgment; the "earth" is the church. It can be seen that the earth itself does not quake out of its place, but that the church is removed when love and faith are not. "To quake out of its place" signifies to be removed from its former state.
[6] In the same:
Behold, the Lord, as a deluge of hail, a storm of slaughter, as a deluge of mighty waters. He shall cast down to the earth with the hand. A consummation and decision I have heard from the Lord Jehovih of hosts upon the whole earth (Arcana Coelestia 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853 the like is meant by "casting down to the earth," or a violent rain.
[7] In the same:
The land shall become burning pitch; from generation to generation it shall be desolate (Isaiah 34:9-10).
"Burning pitch" signifies every evil springing from love of self, through which the church entirely perishes and is desolated; it is therefore said, "the land shall become burning pitch; from generation to generation it shall be desolate." Who does not see that such things are not said of the land itself?
[8] In the same:
The land mourneth and languisheth; Lebanon blusheth, and hath withered away (Isaiah 33:9).
Here also the "land" means the church, which is said "to mourn" and "to languish" when falsities begin to be accepted and acknowledged in place of truths; it is therefore said, "Lebanon blusheth and hath withered away;" "Lebanon" signifying the like as "cedar," namely, the truth of the church.
[9] In Jeremiah:
The lion is gone up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the nations hath gone forth from his place to make thy land a waste; thy cities shall be destroyed. I saw the earth, when lo, it was void and empty; and towards the heavens, and lo, they had no light. I saw the mountains, and lo, they quaked and all the hills are overturned. Jehovah said, The whole earth shall be a waste. For this shall the land mourn, and the heavens above be black (188, and in the notes there, letter, original edition). "The heavens where there was no light, and that were black" signify the interiors of the men of the church, which, when closed by evils and falsities, do not admit light from heaven, but darkness from hell instead. From this it can be seen what is signified by "the lion and the destroyer of the nations making the land a waste;" so likewise by "I saw the earth, and lo, it was void and empty;" also by "the whole earth shall be a waste; for this shall the land mourn," namely, that the earth is not meant, but the church.
[10] In the same:
How long shall the land mourn, and the herb of every field [wither]? for the evil of them that dwell therein the beasts shall be carried off, and the fowl. The whole land is made waste because no man layeth it to heart. Wasters are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from one end of the land even to the other end of the land. They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns (Jeremiah 12:4, 11-13).
That the "land" here signifies the church is evident, from its being said that "the land shall mourn, and the herb of every field [wither]," and that "the beasts and the birds shall be carried off for the evil of them that dwell therein, and because no man layeth it to heart." "The herb of every field" signifies every truth and good of the church, and the "beasts and the fowl" signify the affections of good and truth; and since the church is signified by the "land," and it is here treated of as being vastated, it is said "wasters are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from one end of the land even to the other end of the land. They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns." "The bare heights in the wilderness upon which the wasters came" signify the things that are of charity, "wilderness" meaning where there is no good because no truth; "the sword of Jehovah" signifies falsity destroying truth; "from one end of the land to the other end of the land" signifies all things of the church; "to sow wheat and reap thorns" signifies to take from the Word the truths of good and to turn them into the falsities of evil, "wheat" meaning the truths of good, and "thorns" the falsities of evil.
[11] In Isaiah:
Upon the ground of my people shall come up the thorn and briar; the palace shall be deserted; the multitude of the city shall be forsaken (Isaiah 32:13-14).
The "thorn and briar that shall come up upon the ground" signify falsity and evil; the "palace that shall be deserted" signifies where good dwells; and the "multitude of the city that shall be forsaken" signifies where there are truths; for "city" signifies the doctrine of truth.
[12] In the same:
All the land shall be a place of briars and brambles; but as to all the mountains that shall be hoed with the hoe, there shall not come thither the fear of the briar and bramble; but there shall be the sending-forth of the ox and the trampling of the sheep (Isaiah 7:24-25).
"Briars and brambles" signify falsity and evil; which makes evident what is signified by "all the land shall be a place of briars and brambles." "The mountains that shall be hoed with the hoe" signify those who from the love of good do goods, that with them there shall be no falsity and evil, but good, natural as well as spiritual, is signified by "there shall not come thither the fear of the briar and bramble, but there shall be the sending forth of the ox, and the trampling of sheep;" that is, thither shall oxen be sent, and there the sheep shall trample, "ox" signifying natural good, and "sheep" spiritual good.
[13] In Ezekiel:
Thy mother is a lioness; she couched among lions; one of her whelps went up; he desolated the cities; the land and the fullness thereof was made waste by the voice of his roaring (Ezekiel 19:2-3, 7).
"Mother" signifies the church; a "lioness" and "lions" signify the power of evil and falsity against good and truth; the "roaring of the lion" signifies the lust of destroying and desolating; the "cities that he desolated" signify doctrine with its truths, which makes evident what is signified by "the land and the fullness thereof was laid waste," namely, the whole church.
[14] In the same:
They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their waters with astonishment, that the land may be laid waste from the fullness thereof, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein; and the cities that are inhabited shall be desolated, and the land shall be a waste (Arcana Coelestia 9323), and "eating" and "drinking" signifying instruction and appropriation (n. 3168, 3513, 3832, 9412).
[15] In David:
I called upon Jehovah, and cried unto my God. Then the earth tottered and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled and tottered when He was wroth (Psalms 18:6-7).
Here the "earth" stands for the church, which is said to "totter and quake" when it is perverted by the falsification of truths; and then "the foundations of the mountains" are said "to tremble and totter," for the goods of love, which are founded upon the truths of faith, vanish; "mountains" meaning the goods of love (as above), and their "foundations" the truths of faith; which also shows that the "earth" is the church.
[16] In the same:
The earth is Jehovah's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein; and He hath founded it upon the seas, He hath established it upon the rivers (Psalms 24:1, 2).
The "earth" and the "world" stand for the church, and "fullness" for all things thereof; the "seas upon which He hath founded it," mean the knowledges of truth in general; the "rivers" doctrinals; because the church is founded on both of these, it is said that "He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers." That this cannot be said of the earth and the world is clear to anyone.
[17] In the same:
We will not fear, when the earth shall be changed, and when the mountains shall be moved in the heart of the seas, when the waters thereof are in tumult and do foam. The nations are in tumult, the kingdoms are moved, when He giveth forth His voice the earth shall dissolve (Psalms 46:2-3, 6).
The "earth" evidently means the church, since it is said "to be changed" and "to dissolve," also that "the mountains shall be moved in the heart of the seas, and the waters thereof shall be in tumult," and "the nations are in tumult and the kingdoms are moved." "Mountains" signify (as above) the goods of love, which are said "to be moved in the heart of the seas" when the essential knowledges of truth are perverted; "waters" signify the truths of the church, which are said "to foam" when they are falsified; "nations" signify the goods of the church, and in a contrary sense, its evils; and "kingdoms" the truths of the church, and in a contrary sense, its falsities; and also those who are in the one and the other."
[18] In the same:
O God, Thou hast cast us off; Thou hast been angry; bring back rest to us. Thou hast made the earth to quake, Thou hast broken it up; heal the breaches thereof, for it is moved (Psalms 60:1-2).
It can be seen that these things are said of the church, and not of the earth, for it is said, "Thou hast made the earth to quake, Thou hast broken it up; heal the breaches thereof, for it is moved;" and as "the earth" signifies the church, and here the church vastated, it is said, "O God, Thou hast cast us off, Thou hast been angry; bring back rest to us."
[19] In the same:
When I shall receive the set time, I shall judge with uprightness. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof shall be dissolved; I will make firm the pillars of it (Psalms 75:2-3).
Here, likewise, the "earth" stands for the church, which is said to "dissolve" when the truths by which there is good fail; truths, because they support the church, are called its "pillars," which God will make firm; it is not the pillars of the earth evidently that are made firm. As the restoration of the church is here described, it is said, "When I shall receive the set time, I shall judge with uprightness." The truths of the church, here called the "pillars of the earth," are also called the "bases of the earth" (1 Samuel 2:8); and the "foundations of the earth," in Isaiah:
Do ye not understand the foundations of the earth? It is He that dwelleth upon the circle of the earth, that bringeth the princes to nothing; and maketh the judges of the earth as emptiness (Isaiah 40:21-23).
The "princes who will be brought to nothing," and the "judges of the earth, whom He will make as emptiness," signify the things that are from self-intelligence and from one's own judgment.
[20] In Jeremiah:
A tumult cometh even to the end of the earth. Thus said Jehovah, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. And the slain of Jehovah shall be in that day from the end of the earth even unto the end thereof (Arcana Coelestia 4503[1-11]).
[21] In Isaiah:
The isles saw, they feared; the ends of the earth trembled, they drew near, and came. I will make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into a spring of waters (Isaiah 41:5, 18).
The establishment of the church among the Gentiles is thus described; they are signified by the "isles" and the "ends of the earth;" for "isles" and "the ends of the earth" in the Word signify those who are far removed from the truths and goods of the church because they do not have the Word, and consequently, are in ignorance. That a church is to be established with such is signified by "I will make the wilderness into a pool of waters, and the dry land into a spring of waters." That is called a "wilderness" where there is not yet good because there is not yet truth, and for the same reason it is called "dry land;" a "pool of waters" and a "spring of waters" signify good, because they signify truth; for all spiritual good, which is the good of the church, is acquired by means of truths.
[22] In the same:
Woe to the land shadowed with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush. Go, ye messengers, to a nation trodden down, whose land the rivers have despoiled (283; "beyond the rivers of Cush" signifies in respect to the knowledges themselves from the sense of the letter of the Word, which have been falsified; "a nation trodden down, to which the messengers should go, whose land the rivers have despoiled," signifies those out of the church who are in falsities from ignorance; "rivers" meaning the truths of doctrine, and in a contrary sense falsities; that "the messengers should go to them" signifies that they should be invited to receive the church.
[23] In the same:
In the fury of Jehovah of Hosts the land is obscured (Isaiah 9:19).
A "land obscured" signifies the things of the church in thick darkness, that is, in falsities; for the falsities of evil are said to be in thick darkness, but truths in light.
[24] In the same:
Jehovah shall remove man, and forsaken places shall be multiplied in the midst of the land (280; "forsaken places multiplied in the midst of the land" signifying that there shall be no good at all, because no truth; "the midst of the land" meaning where truth is in the highest light; consequently when there is no light there, thick darkness pervades the whole; thus there is nowhere any truth at all.
[25] In the same:
Jehovah shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He put to death the wicked (Isaiah 11:4).
"The rod of Jehovah's mouth which shall smite the earth," signifies truth in ultimates, which is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word; "the breath of the lips which shall put to death the wicked," signifies truth in the spiritual sense of the Word; these truths are said "to smite the earth," and "to put to death the wicked," when such are condemned by truths; for by truths everyone is judged and is condemned.
[26] In the same:
The earth is at rest, and is quiet. Hell hath stirred up the Rephaim because of thee, all the powerful of the earth. They that see thee shall say, Is this the man that maketh the earth to tremble, that maketh the kingdoms to quake; that hath made the world as a wilderness and threw down the cities thereof? Thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people. Prepare slaughter for his sons, that they rise not up and possess the land, and the faces of the world be filled with cities. I will break the Assyrian in My land, and upon My mountains I will tread him down (Isaiah 14:7, 9, 16-17, 20-21, 25).
These things are said of the king of Babylon, by whom is signified the destruction of truth by the love of ruling over heaven and earth; which love the truths of the Word or of the church are made to serve as means; here their damnation is treated of. The "Rephaim whom hell stirred up," mean those who are in the direful persuasion of what is false, who are therefore called the powerful of the earth; "to make the earth to tremble," "to make the kingdoms quake," "to make the world as a wilderness," and "to throw down the cities thereof," signifies to pervert all things of the church; "earth" and "world" mean the church, "kingdoms" the truths that constitute it; and "cities" all things of doctrine. From this it is clear what is signified by, "Thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people." The "Assyrian who shall be broken in the land and trodden down upon the mountains," signifies the reasonings from falsities against truths; "to be broken" means to be dispersed, and "to be trodden down" means to be wholly destroyed; "mountains upon which this is done," signify where the good of love and charity reigns, for there, or with such, all reasoning from falsities is dispersed or destroyed.
[27] In the same:
Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; from the land of Chittim it shall manifestly come to them. Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish; the girdle is no more. Behold the land of the Chaldean; Assyria hath founded it into heaps. Jehovah will visit Tyre, that she may return to the hire of whoredom and commit whoredom with all the kingdoms of the earth upon the faces of the ground (Isaiah 23:1, 10, 23:13, 17).
Neither ships of Tarshish, nor Tyre, nor the land of Chittim, nor the land of the Chaldeans, nor Assyria, are here meant, as can be seen from the particulars in this chapter; but "the ships of Tarshish" mean the knowledges of truth and good, "Tyre" the like; "the land of Chittim" what is idolatrous; "the land of the Chaldeans" the profanation and destruction of truth, and "Assyria" reasoning from falsities. From this it is clear that, "Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is desolated" signifies that there were no longer any knowledges of truth; "from the land of Chittim it shall manifestly come to them" signifies idolatry therefrom; "the girdle is no more" signifies that there is no longer any coherence of truth with good; "behold the land of the Chaldeans" signifies that thus there is profanation and destruction of truth; "Assyria hath founded it into heaps" signifies that reasonings from falsities have destroyed it; "to return to the hire of whoredom" and "to commit whoredom with all kingdoms upon the faces of the ground" signifies the falsification of all truths of the whole church.
[28] In the same:
The king of Assyria shall pass on through Judah, he shall overflow and pass through, he shall reach even to the neck; and the flappings of his wings 1shall be the fullness of the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel (Heaven and Hell 197), consequently, in a contrary sense, falsities; therefore the "flappings of his wings" signify reasonings from falsities against truths; "fullness" signifies all; thus "the fullness of the breadth of the land" signifies all the truths of the church.
[29] In the same:
In that day shall the bud of Jehovah be for adornment and glory, and the fruit of the earth for magnificence and splendor to those left of Israel (Isaiah 4:2).
The "bud of Jehovah," that shall be for adornment and glory, signifies the truth of the church; and the "fruit of the earth," that shall be for magnificence and splendor, signifies the good of the church; "Israel" signifies the spiritual church. Evidently it is the truth and good of the church, and not the bud and the fruit of the earth, that shall be for adornment, glory, magnificence, and splendor. When it is said the truth and good of the church, the truth of faith and the good of love are meant, for all truth is of faith, and all good is of love.
[30] In the same:
Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah; Thou hast been glorified; Thou hast removed all the ends of the earth (Isaiah 26:15).
The "nation to which Jehovah has added" signifies those who are in the good of love, whom He has claimed to Himself; "the ends of the earth which He has removed" signify the falsities and evils that infest the church, from which He has purified them.
[31] In the same:
Thine eyes shall behold the king in his beauty, they shall behold a land of far distances (Isaiah 33:17).
"To see the king in his beauty," means to see genuine truth, which is from the Lord alone; "to behold a land of far distances" signifies to behold the extension of intelligence and wisdom.
[32] In the same:
I have given thee for a covenant to the people, to restore the earth. Sing aloud O heavens, and exult O earth, and break forth O mountains with a song (Isaiah 49:8, 13).
This treats of the Lord and His coming; the establishment of the church by Him is described by "I have given thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the earth," to "restore the earth" being to reestablish the church; it is known that the Lord did not restore the earth to the Jewish people, but that He established a church among the Gentiles; the joy in consequence is described by, "Sing aloud O heavens, and exult O earth, and break forth O mountains with a song," "the heavens" being the heavens where angels are who are in the interior truths of the church, "the earth" the church among men, and "the mountains" those who are in the good of love to the Lord.
[33] In Jeremiah:
The land is full of adulterers; for because of malediction the land mourneth; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up (Jeremiah 23:10).
"Adulterers" signify those who adulterate the goods of the church; therefore it is said, "the land is full of adulterers, and because of the malediction the land mourneth;" the "pastures of the wilderness that are dried up" signify no spiritual nourishment in such a church; that is called "wilderness" where there is no truth.
[34] In the same:
A drought is upon her waters, so that they shall become dry; for it is a land of graven images (Jeremiah 50:38).
"A drought upon the waters, so that they shall become dry" signifies that there are no more truths, "waters" being truths; "for it is a land of graven images" signifies the church destroyed by falsities which are from self-intelligence, which they call truths, "graven images" signifying those falsities.
[35] In Ezekiel:
The end hath come upon the four quarters of the earth; the earth is full of the judgment of bloods, and the city is full of violence (Ezekiel 7:2, 23).
"The end hath come upon the four quarters of the earth" signifies the last time and the last state of the church, when its end is, the four quarters being all truths and goods of the church, and in a contrary sense, all its falsities and evils, thus all things of the church; "the earth full of the judgment of bloods" signifies that it is filled with evils of every kind, "bloods" being the evils that offer violence to the goods of love and charity and wholly destroy them; "the city full of violence" signifies the doctrine of that church likewise offering violence.
[36] In the same:
All the luminaries of light in heaven will I make black over thee, and will set darkness upon thy land (Ezekiel 32:8).
"The luminaries of light in the heavens" mean the sun, moon, and stars; the "sun" signifying love, the "moon" faith therefrom, and the "stars" the knowledges of good and truth; from this it is clear what is signified by "I will make them black over thee," namely, that these no longer exist; thence also it is clear what is signified by "I will set darkness upon thy land," namely, that there will be falsities in the church," "darkness" meaning falsities, and "land" the church.
[37] In the same:
Prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains and to the hills and to the watercourses and to the valleys, Behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you that ye may be tilled and sown (Ezekiel 36:6, 9).
"The land of Israel" means the church; "mountains, hills, watercourses, and valleys" signify all things of the church from the first to the last things thereof, "mountains" are the goods of love to the Lord, "hills" the goods of charity towards the neighbor-these are the first things of the church; "watercourses and valleys" are truths and goods that are the last things of the church. That this is the meaning can be seen from what was said at the beginning of this article, namely, that those in heaven who are in the good of love to the Lord dwell upon mountains, those who are in charity towards the neighbor upon hills, and those who are in goods and truths in the lowest heaven in plains and valleys; "watercourses" are the truths of doctrine there; to implant these is signified by "I will turn unto you that ye may be tilled and sown. "
[38] In Hosea:
In that day I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn and the new wine and the oil, and these shall hear Jezreel, 2and I will sow her unto me in the earth (Hosea 2:21-23).
Evidently these things are to be understood spiritually, and not naturally according to the sense of the letter, for it is said that "these shall hear Jezreel; and I will sow her unto me in the earth;" therefore the "heavens" mean the heavens where the Lord is; and the "earth" the church where also the Lord is; "corn, new wine, and oil" signify all the things of spiritual nourishment, which are the goods of love and charity and the truths of faith.
[39] In Malachi:
He shall not destroy for you the fruit of the ground, neither shall the vine in the field be barren to you; all nations shall proclaim you happy, and ye shall be a land of good pleasure (Malachi 3:11-12).
These things are said of those with whom is the church; and because "the fruit of the ground," and "the vine in the field" signify the goods and truths of the church ("fruit" goods, and "the vine" its truths), therefore they are called "a land of good pleasure."
[40] In David:
Let thy good spirit lead me into the land of uprightness; vivify me, O Jehovah, for Thy name's sake (Psalms 143:10-11).
"The land of uprightness" stands for the church in which is the right and the true; and because "the spirit of Jehovah" signifies Divine truth, and everyone receives spiritual life through that, therefore it is said, "Let Thy good spirit lead me," and "vivify me, O Jehovah."
[41] As the "earth" signifies the church, and where the church is there is heaven, therefore heaven is called "the land of the living," and "the land of life;" "the land of the living" in Isaiah:
I said, I shall not see Jah in the land of the living (Isaiah 38:11);
and in Ezekiel:
Who caused terror in the land of the living (Ezekiel 32:23-27).
"The land of life," in David:
Unless I had believed to see good in the land of life (Psalms 27:13).
[42] In Moses:
The stone shall be entire and just, the ephah shall be entire and just, that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth (Deuteronomy 25:15).
"Days to be prolonged upon the earth" does not mean a lengthening of life in the world, but the state of life in the church, thus in heaven; for "to be prolonged" is predicated of good and its increase, and "day" signifies the state of life; and as "a stone entire and just," which was a weight, and "an ephah entire and just," which was a measure, signify truth and good and their quality, and both together signify justice, "stone" signifying truth, and "measure" good, and as not to deceive by weight and measure is to be just, therefore such shall have the life of the church and afterwards life in heaven, which is meant by "their days upon the earth shall be prolonged."
[43] The like is signified by this precept in the Decalogue:
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth (Exodus 20:12).
Those who honor father and mother have heaven and the happiness there, because in heaven no other father but the Lord is known, for all there have been generated anew from Him; and in heaven by "mother" the church is meant, and in general, the kingdom of the Lord. It is clear that those who worship the Lord and seek his kingdom will have life in heaven, also that many of those who honor father and mother in the world do not live there long.
[44] In Matthew:
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).
"Inheriting the earth" signifies not possession of the earth, but possession of heaven and blessedness there; the "meek" mean those who are in the good of charity.
[45] In Isaiah:
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name God-With-Us: butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to reject the evil and to choose the good; for before the Lad knoweth to reject the evil and to choose the good, the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of its two kings. It shall come to pass in that day, by reason of the abundance of milk they yield, He shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall everyone eat that is left in the midst of the land (Isaiah 7:14-16, 21-22).
It is known that these things were said respecting the Lord and His coming; "butter and honey," which He shall eat, signify the goods of love; "butter" the good of celestial and spiritual love, "honey" the good of natural love; this means that He would appropriate the Divine to Himself even in respect to the Human; "to eat" signifying to appropriate. That "the land shall be forsaken before He knoweth to reject the evil and to choose the good" signifies that when He should be born there would not be anything of the church remaining in the whole world; and because those where the church was, rejected every Divine truth and perverted all things of the Word, and explained it in favor of self, it is said of the land, that is, the church, "which thou abhorrest from the presence of its two kings; "king" signifying the truths of heaven and of the church; "two kings" the truth of the Word in the internal or spiritual sense, and the truth of the Word in the external or natural sense. "Milk" signifies truth through which good comes, and as "butter" signifies the good therefrom, "by reason of the abundance of yielding milk, butter shall everyone eat that is left in the midst of the land" signifies that every truth shall be from good.
[46] In Matthew:
In the consummation of the age, all the tribes of the earth shall lament (Matthew 24:30).
"The consummation of the age" which is treated of in that chapter, is the last time of the church, when judgment takes place; "all the tribes of the earth" signify all truths and goods of the church, which are said "to lament" when they are no more.
[47] In Luke:
Then shall there be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring; men expiring for fear and for expectation of the things coming upon the whole earth; for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. That day as a snare shall come upon all that dwell upon the face of the whole earth (303-310.)
[48] In Isaiah:
Sing aloud ye heavens; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth with singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein; for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob. I am Jehovah, that maketh all things; that stretchest forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by Myself (Isaiah 44:23-24).
"Sing aloud, ye heavens; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth with singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein" signifies all things of heaven and of the church, both internal and external, all of which have reference to good and to truth. Things internal are signified by "the heavens," things external by "the lower parts of the earth;" "mountains" mean the good of love, the "forest" means natural truth, and the "trees" therein mean the knowledges of truth. Because such things are signified, it is said, "for Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob," "Jacob" in the Word signifying the external church, and "Israel" the internal church; "to stretch forth the heavens," and "to spread abroad the earth" signifies the church on all sides, which is spread forth and extended by the multiplication of truth and the fructification of good, with those who are of the church.
[49] In Zechariah:
Jehovah stretcheth out the heavens, and foundeth the earth, and formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him (Zechariah 12:1).
Here, too, in like manner "heavens" and "earth" signify the church everywhere, thus in respect to its interiors and as to its exteriors; therefore it is also said, "He formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him."
[50] In Jeremiah:
The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth, let them perish from the earth and from under the heavens. Jehovah maketh the earth by His power, prepareth the world by His wisdom, and stretcheth out the heavens by His intelligence. At the voice which He giveth forth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He causeth the vapors to ascend from the end of the earth (Jeremiah 10:11-13; 51:15-16).
Because the "heavens" and the "earth" signify the church (as above), it is said, "Jehovah maketh the earth by His power, prepareth the world by His wisdom, and stretcheth out the heavens by His intelligence;" and therefore also it is said, "At the voice which He giveth forth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He causeth the vapors to ascend from the end of the earth;" "the voice that Jehovah giveth forth" signifies Divine truth proceeding from Him; the "multitude of waters in the heavens" signifies truth in abundance, for "waters" signify truths; and "the vapors that He causeth to ascend from the end of the earth" signify the ultimate truths of the church, "vapors" are those truths; and "the end of the earth" is the ultimate of the church; and as "gods" signify the falsities of doctrine and of worship, which destroy the church, it is said, "The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth, let them perish from the earth and from under the heavens."
[51] In David:
Jehovah, who by intelligence maketh the heavens, and spreadeth out the earth above the waters (Psalms 136:5-6).
Because "heaven" and "earth" signify the church, and the church is formed by truths, and the truths of the church constitute intelligence, it is said, "Jehovah maketh the heavens by intelligence, and spreadeth out the earth above the waters," "waters" meaning the truths of the church.
[52] In Isaiah:
Thus saith Jehovah God, that createth the heavens, and stretcheth them out, that spreadeth forth the earth and the products thereof, that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein (294.
[53] In the same:
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the [higher] clouds flow down with righteousness; let the earth open, and bring forth the fruit of salvation. I have made the earth, and created man upon it. Thus said Jehovah who created the heavens; God Himself who formeth the earth and maketh it and prepareth it: I have not spoken in secret, in a place of the land of darkness (Heaven and Hell 30-57.) "To create the heavens and to form the earth, and make and prepare it," signifies to fully establish the church.
[54] In the same:
Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered (Isaiah 65:17).
"To create new heavens and a new earth" signifies to establish a new church in respect to its interiors and exteriors, both in the heavens and on earth (as above).
[55] In the same:
Who hath heard a thing like this? shall the earth bring forth in one day? shall a nation be begotten at one time? For as the new heavens and the new earth which I am about to make shall stand before Me, so shall your seed and your name stand (Isaiah 66:8, 22).
Because the "earth" signifies the church, it is said, "shall the earth bring forth in one day? shall a nation be begotten at one time?" "To bring forth," and "birth," and "to beget," and "begetting," in the Word, signify spiritual birth and begetting, which are of faith and love, thus reformation and regeneration. What the "new heavens" and the "new earth" signify has been told above.
[56] In Jeremiah:
I have made the earth, man and beast that are upon the faces of the earth, and I give it to him who is right in My eyes (280; and Arcana Coelestia 7424, 7523, 7872); and since these affections with men constitute the church in them it is said, "I have made the earth, man and beast that are upon the faces of the earth, and I give it to him who is right in My eyes." Everyone knows that God gives the earth not alone to those who are right in His eyes, but also to those who are not right, while the church He gives to those only who are right; "right" signifying truth and its affection.
[57] In Isaiah:
The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and the dwellers therein shall die in like manner (Isaiah 51:6).
The "heavens that shall vanish away," and the "earth that shall wax old like a garment" signify the church; this step by step falls, and at length is desolated; but not so the visible heaven and the habitable earth; therefore it is said, "and the dwellers therein shall die in like manner," "to die" signifying to die spiritually:
The heavens and earth shall pass away (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 16:17);
has a like signification.
[58] In Revelation:
Four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow upon the earth (Revelation 7:1).
"The four corners of the earth," and "the four winds of the earth" signify all truths and goods of the church in the complex; for they have the like signification as the four quarters of heaven (that these have this signification, see Heaven and Hell, on the four quarters in heaven, n Revelation 10:2, 5-6, 8; 12:16; 13:13; 16:2, 14; 20:8-9, 11; 21:1), as well as in many other places in the Word, too numerous to be cited.
[59] As the church was signified by the "earth" and especially by the "land of Canaan," because the church was there, and as the church which was there was a representative church, so all things there were representative, and all that was said to them by the Lord signified the spiritual or interior things of the church, and this even to the land itself and its products; as in these words in Moses:
If thou wilt keep the commandments, Jehovah will lead thee into a good land, into a land of brooks of waters, of fountains, of depths coming forth out of valley and mountain; a land of wheat, of barley, of vine, of fig, of pomegranate; a land of the olive, of oil, of honey; a land where thou shalt eat bread without scarceness; it shall lack nothing; a land where the stones are iron and out of the mountains is digged copper; and thou shalt eat, and shalt be satisfied in this good land (Deuteronomy 8:6-10).
This is a description of all things of the church, both its interiors and its exteriors; but to explain what the particulars signify would be tedious and not to the present purpose.
[60] Because the "land" signifies the church it was among the blessings, that if they lived according to the commandments:
The land would yield its increase, evil beasts would cease out of the land, nor would the sword pass through the land (Leviticus 26:3-4, 6).
That "the land would yield its increase" signifies that there would be good and truth in the church; that "evil beasts would cease" signifies that there would not be evil affections and lusts, which destroy the church; that "the sword would not pass through the land" signifies that falsity would not cast out truth.
[61] Again, as the "land" signifies the church, it was also decreed that:
The seventh year should be a sabbath of the land, and that there should be no labor upon it (Leviticus 25:1-8).
It is therefore said also that:
The land was defiled on account of their evils, and would vomit them out because of their abominations (Leviticus 18:25-28).
Because the "land" [or ground] signified the church:
The Lord spat on the earth, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man, and said, Go wash thee in the pool of Siloam (John 9:6-7, 11, 15);
So the Lord, when the Scribes and Pharisees questioned Him respecting the woman taken in adultery, stooping down, wrote twice on the earth (John 8:6, 8);
which signified that the church was full of adulteries, that is, full of the adulteration of good and the falsification of truth; therefore the Lord said to them:
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her; but they went out one by one, beginning from the elders, even unto the last (John 8:7, 9).
[62] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so has the "earth," which in that sense signifies the church vastated; it is vastated when the good of love and the truth of faith are no more, but instead thereof evil and falsity; as these damn man, the "earth" in that sense signifies damnation, as in the following places: Isaiah 14:12; 21:9; 25:12; 26:19, 21; 29:4; 47:1; 63:6; Lamentations 2:2, 10; Ezekiel 26:20; 32:24; Numbers 16:29-33; 26:10; and elsewhere.
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has "breadth" for "wings," Apocalypse Revealed 861; Arcana Coelestia 1613, 4482, 9487 have "wings."
2. "Jezreel" for "Israel;" see n. 375; Arcana Coelestia 3580, where we read "Jezreel."
304. [Vers. 3.] "Et nemo potuit in caelo, nec super terra, neque sub terra, aperire librum nec inspicere eum." - Quod significet manifestationem quod ne hilum aliquis de statu vitae omnium in communi et singulorum in particulari ex se sciat et percipiat, constat ex significatione "Et nemo potuit aperire librum nec inspicere eum", quod sit quod non aliquis sciat et percipiat ex se status vitae omnium in communi et singulorum in particulari (de qua mox supra, n. 303); et ex significatione "in caelo, nec super terra, neque sub terra", quod non modo sit quod nemo ubicunque est, sed etiam quod ne hilum; per "caelum" enim, per "super terra" et per "sub terra", intelliguntur tres caeli; et per omnes ibi intelligitur caelum in toto complexu; et quia caelum est caelum ex Divino Vero, quod influit a Domino, et recipitur ab angelis, et prorsus non ex aliqua intelligentia angelorum propria, haec enim nulla intelligentia est, inde per eadem verba significatur quod ne hilum aliquis ex se. Quod angeli in caelo aeque ac homines in mundo habeant proprium, quod in se spectatum non est nisi quam malum, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno (n. 592); et quia malum non recipit aliquid intelligentiae et sapientiae, sequitur quod angeli aeque ac homines ex se prorsus nihil veri intelligant, sed quod solum ex Domino. Causa quod angeli tales sint, est quia omnes angeli sunt ex humano genere, et unusquisque homo retinet suum proprium post mortem, et quod a malis quae sunt proprii eorum detineantur ac in bonis teneantur a Domino. (Quod omnes angeli sint ex Humano Genere, et non aliquis ex principio creatus, videatur in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio 14-22; et quod omnes a malo detineantur et in bono teneantur a Domino, in De Nova Hierosolyma et ejus Doctrina Caelesti 166.)
[2] Quod "in caelo", "super terra", et "sub terra", significet tres caelos, est quia angeli qui in tertio seu supremo caelo sunt, habitant super montibus; et qui in secundo seu medio, super collibus; et qui in primo seu ultimo, sub illis in planitiebus et vallibus: est enim in mundo spirituali ubi spiritus et angeli, prorsus sicut in mundo naturali ubi homines; nempe terrae, colles et montes; et quoad apparentiam est talis similitudo ut prorsus nihil differat: quare etiam homines post mortem vix sciunt aliter quam quod adhuc super terra vivant, et cum datur illis copia inspicere in nostram tellurem, non vident aliquid dissimile: praeterea angeli qui in ultimo caelo sunt, vocant "caelum" ubi angeli tertii caeli habitant, quia alte supra illos, at ubi ipsi habitant vocant "terram"; etiam caelum tertium seu supremum, quod est super montibus, non apparet illis qui infra sunt, seu super terra, aliter ac coram nobis suprema regio atmosphaerea tecta levi et candida nube, ita sicut caelum coram nobis. Inde constare potest quid in specie per "in caelo, super terra, et sub terra", hic intelligitur. (Sed de his plura videantur in opere De Caelo et Inferno, ubi agitur De Apparentiis in Caelo, n. 170-176; ac De Habitationibus et Mansionibus Angelorum, n. 183-189.)
[3] Quoniam homines non sciverunt quod similes facies telluris dentur in utroque mundo, naturali et spirituali, ideo non perceperunt aliter, cum legerunt Verbum, quam quod per "caelum" et "terram" ibi, intelligatur caelum coram oculis nostris aspectabile, et terra ab hominibus habitabilis; inde orta est opinio de interitu caeli et terrae, et de creatione novi caeli et novae terrae, die ultimi judicii; cum tamen per "caelum" et per "terram" ibi intelligitur caelum et terra ubi spiritus et angeli, ac in sensu spirituali ecclesia apud angelos et apud homines (nam apud angelos aeque est ecclesia ac apud homines, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 221-227). In sensu spirituali dicitur, quia angelus non est angelus nec homo est homo ex forma humana quae utrique, sed ex caelo et ecclesia apud illos. Inde est quod per "caelum" et per "terram", ubi habitant angeli et homines, significetur ecclesia; per "caelum" ecclesia interna et quoque ecclesia apud angelos; et per "terram" ecclesia externa et quoque ecclesia apud homines. Sed quia aegre potest credi quod per "terram" in Verbo intelligatur ecclesia, ex causa quia nondum notum est quod singulis Verbi insit sensus spiritualis, unde materialis idea adhaeret, et tenet cogitationem fixam in proxima vocis significatione, velim per plura loca inde illustrare et confirmare.
[4] Apud Esaiam,
"Ecce Jehovah evacuans terram et exinaniens eam, et evertet facies ejus;.... evacuando evacuabitur terra, et spoliando spoliabitur:.... lugebit et confundetur terra habitabilis confundetur orbis;.... terra profanabitur sub habitatoribus suis:.... propterea maledictio comedet terram, .... et exurentur habitatores terrae, et relictus erit homo rarus. .... Clamor super vino in plateis, .... exulabit laetitia terrae:.... erit in medio terrae.... sicut strictura oleae, sicut racemationes quando consummata est vindemia. .... Ab extremitate terrae cantica audivimus, Gloria justo. .... Cataractae ab alto apertae sunt, et commota sunt fundamenta terrae confringendo contracta est terra, disrumpendo disrupta est terra; commovendo commota est terra; titubando titubabit terra sicut ebrius; et hinc inde commovebitur sicut tegillum:.... sed erit in die illo visitabit Jehovah super exercitum altitudinis in altitudine, et super reges terrae qui super terra" (24:1, 2, [3,] 4-6, 11, 13, 16, [18,] 19-21, 23);
Hic manifeste patet quod per "terram" non intelligatur terra sed ecclesia: percurrantur singula et expendantur. Qui in spirituali idea est, cum nominatur "terra" non cogitat de ipsa terra, sed de gente ibi et de ejus quali; magis adhuc illi qui in caelo sunt; hi quia spirituales sunt percipiunt ecclesiam: agitur ibi de illa destructa; destructio ejus quoad bonum amoris et verum fidei, quae faciunt illam, describitur per quod "Jehovah evacuans terram et exinaniens eam", per quod "terra evacuando evacuabitur", "spoliando spoliabitur", "lugebit et confundetur", per quod "profanabitur" et "maledictio comedet eam", per quod "cataractae ab alto apertae sint, et commota sint fundamenta ejus", quod "confracta sit", "disrupta sit", "commota sit", quod "titubet sicut ebrius": haec non dici possunt neque de terra, neque de gente, sed de ecclesia.
[5] Apud eundem:
1
"Ecce dies Jehovae venit.... ad ponendum terram in vastitatem, et peccatores perdat ex ea: nam stellae caelorum et sidera eorum non lucent luce sua, obtenebratus est sol in ortu suo, et luna non splendere facit lumen suum;.... rarum reddam hominem prae auro puro, .... propterea commovebo caelos, et concutietur terra e loco suo" (13:9, 10, 12, 13);
quod "terra" hic sit ecclesia patet a singulis in sensu spirituali intellectis. Agitur ibi de fine ejus, quando amplius non verum et bonum, seu non fides et charitas. Per "stellas" enim et "sidera" quae non lucent, significantur cognitiones veri et boni; per "solem" qui obtenebratus est in ortu suo, significatur amor; per "lunam" quae non lucere facit lumen suum, significatur fides; per "hominem " qui reddetur rarus prae auro puro, significatur intelligentia et sapientia; inde constat quid significat "Ecce dies Jehovae venit ad ponendum terram in vastitatem;...commovebo caelos, et concutietur terra e loco suo": "dies Jehovae" est ultimus fini ecclesiae quando judicium; "terra" est ecclesia; quod ipsa terra non concutiatur e loco suo, constare potest, sed quod ecclesia removeatur ubi non amor et fides; "concuti e loco" significat removeri a statu priori.
[6] Apud eundem,
"Ecce.... Dominus sicut inundatio grandinis, procella caedis, sicut inundatio aquarum validarum.... dejiciet in terram manu:.... consummationem et decisionem audivi a cum Domino 2
Jehovih Zebaoth super universam terram" (28:2, 22);
haec de die judicii super illos qui ab ecclesia dicta sunt; dies judicii quando finis ecclesiae, intelligitur per "consummationem et decisionem audivi a cum Domino 3
Jehovih Zebaoth super universam terram"; quare dicitur quod" sicut inundatio grandinis, procella caedis, sicut inundatio aquarum validarum dejiciet in terram manu"; per "grandinem" et ejus "inundationem" significantur falsa quae destruunt vera ecclesiae; per "caedem" et ejus "procellam" significantur mala quae destruunt bona ecclesiae; per "aquas validas" significantur falsa mali. (Quod per "inundationem" et "diluvium" significetur immersio in mala et falsa, et inde ecclesiae interitus, videatur n. 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853; simile per "dejectionem in terram" seu depluitionem.)
[7] Apud eundem,
"Erit terra in picem ardentem, .... a generatione in generationem vastata erit" (34:9, 10);
per "picem ardentem" significatur omne malum scaturiens ex amore sui, per quod prorsus perit et vastatur ecclesia; quare dicitur, "Erit terra in picem ardentem, ...a generatione in generationem vastata erit." Quis non videt quod talia non de ipsa terra dicantur?
[8] Apud eundem,
"Luget, languescit terra, erubuit Libanus et emarcuit" (33:9);
"terra" etiam ibi est ecclesia, quae "lugere et languescere" dicitur quando falsa pro veris incipiunt apprehendi et agnosci: quare dicitur "Erubuit Libanus et emarcuit"; per "Libanum" significatur simile quod per "cedrum", nempe verum ecclesiae.
[9] Apud Jeremiam,
"Ascendit leo ex vepreto suo, et perditor gentium profectus...e loco suo ad redigendum terram tuam in vastitatem; urbes tuae destruentur. .... Vidi terram, cum ecce vacuum et inane, et versus caelos cum ecce non lux eorum; vidi montes cum ecce commoventur, et omnes colles evertuntur:.... dixit Jehovah, Vastitas erit tota terra;.... propter hoc lugebit terra, et atrati erunt caeli desuper" (4:7, 23, 24, 27, 28);
agitur etiam hic de vastatione ecclesiae, quae est quando non amplius verum et bonum, sed loco eorum falsum et malum; vastatio illa describitur per "leonem ascendentem ex vepreto suo, et perditorem gentium profectum ex loco suo"; per "leonem" et per "perditorem gentium" significatur falsum et malum vastans; per "montes" qui commoventur et per "colles" qui evertuntur, significantur amor in Dominum et charitas erga proximum; quod haec per "montes" et "colles" significentur est quia super montibus in caelo habitant qui in amore in Dominum sunt, et super collibus qui in charitate erga proximum; (ut in praemissis dictum videatur, et quoque in opere De Caelo et Inferno 188, et in notis ibi, littera c; [videatur editio princeps;]) per "caelos" ubi "non lux", et qui "atrati erunt", significantur interiora hominum ecclesiae, quae, cum clausa sunt per mala et falsa, non admittunt lucem e caelo, sed pro illa tenebras ex inferno: ex his constare potest quid significatur per quod "leo et perditor gentium rediget terram in vastitatem", tum per "Vidi terram, et ecce vacuum et inane", ut et per "Vastitas erit tota terra, propter hoc lugebit terra", quod nempe ibi non intelligatur terra sed ecclesia.
[10] Apud eundem,
"Quousque lugebit terra, et herba omnis agri [exarescet] ? propter malitiam habitantium in ea consumentur bestiae et avis?.... Desolata est tota terra, quia non vir ponens super cor; super omnes colles in deserto venerunt vastatores, quia gladius Jehovae devorans a fine terrae ad finem terrae:.... 4
severunt tritica et messuerunt spinas" (12:4, 11-13);
quod "terra" hic significet ecclesiam, patet ex eo, quod dicatur quod "terra lugebit et herba omnis agri [exarescet] ", et quod "consumentur bestiae et avis propter malitiam habitantium in ea", et "quia non vir ponens super cor": per "herbam omnis agri" significatur omne verum et bonum ecclesiae, et per "bestias et aves" significantur affectiones boni et veri; et quia ecclesia per "terram" significatur, et de illa vastata agitur, ideo dicitur "supra omnes colles in deserto venerunt vastatores, quia gladius Jehovae devorans a fine terrae ad finem terrae, .. . 5
severunt tritica et spinas messuerunt"; per "colles in deserto" super quos venerunt vastatores, significantur illa quae charitatis sunt ("desertum" est ubi non bonum quia non verum); per "gladium Jehovae" significatur falsum destruens verum, "a fine terrae ad finem terrae" significat omnia ecclesiae; per " 6
serere tritica et metere spinas" significatur ex Verbo desumere vera boni et vertere illa in falsa mali ("tritica" sunt vera boni, et "spinae" sunt falsa mali).
[11] Apud Esaiam,
"Super terra populi mei spina et sentis ascendet;.... palatium erit desertum, multitudo urbis derelicta" (32:13, 14);
"spina et sentis" quae ascendent super terra, significant falsum et malum; "palatium" quod erit desertum, significat ubi bonum habitat; et "multitudo urbis" quae derelicta, significat ubi vera, "urbs" enim significat doctrinam veri.
[12] Apud eundem,
"Senticetum et vepretum erit omnis terra: vicissim, omnes montes qui sarculo sarrientur, non veniet eo timor senticeti et vepreti, sed erit missio bovis et calcatio ovis" (7:24, 25);
"senticetum et vepretum" significant falsum et malum; inde patet quid significat "Senticetum et vepretum erit omnis terra": per "montes" qui "sarculo sarrientur", significantur qui ex amore boni faciunt bona; quod apud illos non falsum et malum, sed bonum tam naturale quam spirituale, significatur per quod "eo non veniet timor senticeti et vepreti, sed erit missio bovis et calcatio ovis", seu eo mittentur boves et ibi calcabunt oves; per "bovem" significatur bonum naturale, et per "ovem" bonum spirituale.
[13] Apud Ezechielem,
"Mater 7
tua leaena, inter leones cubuit;.... surrexit unus de catulis ejus, .... urbes devastavit; desolata est terra et plenitudo ejus a voce rugitus ejus" (Ezech. 19:2-3, 7);
per "matrem" significatur ecclesia; per "leaenam" et "leones" potentia mali et falsi contra bonum et verum; per "rugitum leonis" significatur cupido destruendi et desolandi; per "urbes" quas devastavit, significatur doctrina cum ejus veris; inde patet quid significatur per "desolata est terra et plenitudo ejus", nempe tota ecclesia.
[14] Apud eundem,
"Panem suum cum sollicitudine edent, et aquas suas cum stupore bibent, ut devastetur terra a plenitudine sua, ob violentiam omnium habitatorum in ea; et urbes habitatae devastabuntur, et terra desolatio erit" (12:19, 20);
hic similia per "terram" et per "urbes" quae devastabuntur et desolatio erunt, significantur quae supra, nempe per "terram" ecclesia, et per "urbes" doctrina cum ejus veris; quare dicitur "ob violentiam omnium habitatorum in ea": quia illa significantur, ideo praemittitur quod "panem suum cum sollicitudine edent et aquas suas cum stupore bibent"; per "panem" et "aquam" in Verbo significatur omne bonum amoris et verum fidei (videatur n. 9323 8
); et per "edere et bibere" significatur instrui et appropriari (n. 3168, 3513, 3832, 9412).
[15] Apud Davidem,
"Invocavi Jehovam, et ad Deum meum clamavi;.... unde commota est et contremuit terra, et fundamenta montium trepidarunt et commoverunt se, quando exarsit Illi" (Psalms 18:7, 8 [B.A. 6, 7]);
"terra" hic pro ecclesia, quae "commota esse" et "contremuisse" dicitur quando pervertitur per quod falsificentur vera; et tunc "fundamenta montium" dicuntur "trepidare et commovere se", nam bona amoris, quae fundantur super veris fidei, evanescunt, "montes" enim sunt bona amoris (ut supra), ac "fundamenta" eorum sunt vera fidei; inde quoque patet quod "terra" sit ecclesia.
[16] Apud eundem,
"Jehovae terra et plenitudo ejus, orbis et habitantes in eo; et Ille super maria fundavit eum, super flumina stabilivit eum" (Psalms 24:1, 2);
"terra" et "orbis" pro ecclesia, et "plenitudo" pro omnibus ejus; "maria" super quibus fundavit eum, sunt cognitiones veri in communi; "flumina" sunt doctrinalia; quia super his et illis fundatur ecclesia, ideo dicitur quod "super maria fundaverit eum, et super flumina stabiliverit eum"; quod hoc non dici queat de terra et orbe, cuivis patet.
[17] Apud eundem,
"Non timebimus cum mutabitur terra, et cum commovebuntur montes in corde marium, cum tumultuabuntur, turbabuntur aquae ejus;.... tumultuentur gentes, commoveant se regna, cum dederit vocem suam liquescet terra" (Psalms 46:3, 4, 7, 9 [B.A. Psalms 46:2, 3, 6]);
quod per "terram" intelligatur ecclesia patet, quia dicitur "mutari" et "liquescere", tum quod "commovebuntur montes in corde marium ac turbabuntur aquae ejus", et quod "tumultuentur gentes et commoveant se regna"; per "montes" significantur bona amoris (ut supra), quae "commoveri" dicuntur "in corde marium" quando cognitiones essentiales veri pervertuntur; per "aquas" significantur vera ecclesiae quae "turbari" dicuntur cum falsificantur; per "gentes" significantur bona ecclesiae et in opposito sensu mala ejus, et per "regna" vera ecclesiae et in opposito sensu falsa ejus, tum qui in his et illis sunt.
[18] Apud eundem,
"Deus, deseruisti nos, ...succensuisti, reduc nobis quietem; tremefecisti terram, diffregisti; sana fracturas ejus, quia commota est" (Psalm 60:3-4, [1, 2]);
quod haec de ecclesia et non de terra dicta sint, constare potest; nam dicitur "tremefecisti terram, diffregisti; sana fracturas ejus, quia commota est"; et quia per "terram" significatur ecclesia, hic ecclesia vastata, ideo dicitur, "Deus, deseruisti nos, ... succensuisti, reduc nobis quietem."
[19] Apud eundem,
"Cum apprehendero tempus statum, Ego rectitudinibus judicabo; liquescent terra et omnes habitatores ejus; Ego firmabo columnas ejus" (Psalms 75:3, 4 [B.A. 2, 3]);
similiter hic "terra" pro ecclesia, quae dicitur "liquescere" quando deficiunt vera per quae bonum; vera, quia sustentant ecclesiam, vocantur "columnae ejus" quas Deus "firmabit"; quod non terrae columnae firmentur, patet: quia restauratio ecclesiae hic describitur, ideo dicitur "Cum apprehendero tempus statum, Ego rectitudinibus judicabo." Vera ecclesiae, quae hic vocantur "columnae terrae", etiam vocantur "bases terrae", 1 Sam. 2:8;
et "fundamenta terrae" apud Esaiam,
"Annon intelligitis fundamenta terrae? Qui habitat super circulo terrae,.... qui dat principes in nihilum, et judices terrae sicut inane facit" (40:21-23);
per "principes" qui dabuntur in nihilum, et per "judices terrae" quos sicut inane faciet, significantur illa quae ex propria intelligentia et ex proprio judicio sunt.
[20] Apud Jeremiam,
"Venit tumultus usque ad finem terrae:.... sic dixit Jehovah [Zebaoth] , Ecce malum exibit a gente ad gentem, et procella magna excitabitur a lateribus terrae, et erunt confossi Jehovae in die illo a fine terrae usque ad finem ejus" (25:31-33);
per "finem terrae" et per "latera terrae" significatur ubi ultima ecclesiae sunt, ac ubi mala et falsa incipiunt; et per "a fine terrae ad finem ejus" significantur omnia ecclesiae; inde sciri potest quid significatur per quod "tumultus veniat ad finem terrae", et quod "procella magna excitabitur a lateribus terrae", et per quod "confossi Jehovae in die illo erunt a fine terrae ad finem ejus"; per "confossos" significantur illi apud quos vera et bona ecclesiae exstincta sunt (videatur n. 4503).
[21] Apud Esaiam,
"Viderunt insulae, timuerunt, fines terrae trepidarunt, accesserunt et venerunt;.... ponam desertum in stagnum aquarum, et terram siccam in scaturiginem aquarum" (41:5, 18);
instauratio ecclesiae apud gentes ita describitur; illae significantur per "insulas" et per "fines terrae", "insulae" enim et "fines terrae" in Verbo significant illos qui longius distant a veris et bonis ecclesiae, quia non habent Verbum et inde in ignorantia sunt; quod ecclesia instaurabitur apud illos, significatur per "Ponam desertum in stagnum aquarum, et terram siccam in scaturiginem aquarum"; "desertum" dicitur ubi nondum bonum quia nondum verum, ex quo etiam vocatur "terra sicca"; "stagnum aquarum" et "scaturigo aquarum" significant bonum quia verum, omne enim bonum spirituale, quod est bonum ecclesiae, comparatur per vera.
[22] Apud eundem,
"Vae terrae inumbratae alis, quae trans flumina Kuschi:.... ite legati...ad gentem...conculcatam, cujus terram depraedati sunt fluvii" (18:1, 2);
quid "terra inumbrata alis", et "terra quam depraedati sunt fluvii", nemo scit nisi sciat quod "terra" sit ecclesia, et quod "fluvii" sint falsa; "terra inumbrata alis" est ecclesia quae in caligine est quoad Divina vera (haec significantur per "alas", videatur supra, n. 283); "trans flumina Kuschi" significat quoad ipsas cognitiones ex sensu litterae Verbi, quae falsificatae; "gens conculcata" ad quam "irent legati", "cujus terram depraedati sunt fluvii", significat illos extra ecclesiam qui in falsis ex ignorantia sunt ("fluvii" sunt vera doctrinae et in opposito sensu falsa); quod "legati irent ad illos", significat quod invitarentur ut apud illos sit ecclesia.
[23] ;
"obscurata terra" significat illa quae ecclesiae sunt in caligine seu in falsis, nam falsa mali dicuntur in caligine esse, vera autem in luce.
[24] Apud eundem,
"Removebit Jehovah hominem, et multiplicabuntur deserta in medio terrae" (6:12);
"homo", quem Jehovah removebit, significat sapientem, et abstracte sapientiam (videatur supra, n. 280); "multiplicata deserta in medio terrae", significant prorsus non aliquod bonum quia non aliquod verum; "medium terrae" est ubi verum est in summa luce; quare cum ibi non lux, per totum est caligo; ita prorsus nullibi verum.
[25] Apud eundem,
Jehovah "percutiet terram virga oris sui, et spiritu labiorum suorum occidet impium" (11:4);
"virga oris" Jehovae, quae percutiet terram, significat verum in ultimis, quod est verum sensus litterae Verbi; "spiritus labiorum" qui occidet impium, significat verum in sensu spirituali Verbi; haec dicuntur "percutere terram" et "occidere impium", quando per illa damnantur, quisque enim judicatur per vera et damnatur per illa.
[26] Apud eundem,
"Quiescit et quieta est terra, .... infernum...excitavit propter te Rephaim, omnes potentes terrae:.... videntes te...dicent, Num hic vir commovens terram, tremefaciens regna, posuit orbem in desertum, et urbes ejus destruxit?.... Terram tuam perdidisti, populum tuum occidisti;.... parate filiis ejus mactationem, ut non resurgant possideantque terram, ac impleantur facies terrae urbibus. .... Frangam Aschurem in terra mea, et super montibus meis conculcabo eum" (14:7, 9, 16, 17, 20, 21, 25);
dicta haec sunt de rege Babelis, per quem significatur destructio veri per amorem imperandi super caelum et terram, cui inserviunt vera Verbi seu illa quae ecclesiae sunt pro mediis; agitur ibi de eorum damnatione: "Rephaim" quos "infernum excitavit" sunt qui in dira persuasione falsi sunt, qui ex eo vocantur "potentes terrae": "commovere terram", "tremefacere regna", "ponere orbem in desertum et urbes ejus destruere", significat pervertere omnia ecclesiae; "terra" et "orbis" sunt ecclesia, "regna" sunt vera quae faciunt eam, et "urbes" sunt omnia doctrinae: inde patet quid significatur per "terram tuam perdidisti, populum tuum occidisti": per "Aschurem" qui "frangetur in terra, et super montibus conculcabitur", significatur ratiocinatio ex falsis contra vera; "frangi" est dissipari, et "conculcari" est prorsus destrui; "montes", super quibus, significant ubi regnat bonum amoris et charitatis, nam ibi seu apud illos dissipatur seu destruitur omnis ratiocinatio ex falsis.
[27] Apud eundem,
"Ejulate naves Tharschischi, .... e terra Chittim manifeste veniet illis:.... transi terram tuam sicut fluvius, filia Tharschischi, non cingulum amplius:.... en terra Chaldaeorum, ...Aschur fundavit eam in acervos Visitabit Jehovah Tyrum, ut redeat ad mercedem meretriciam, et scortetur cum omnibus regnis terrae super faciebus orbis" (23:1, 10, 13, 17);
quod hic non intelligantur naves Tharschischi, nec Tyrus, nec terra Chittaeorum, nec terra Chaldaeorum, nec Aschur, constare potest ex singulis in eo capite; sed per "naves Tharschischi" intelliguntur cognitiones veri et boni, similiter per "Tyrum"; per "terram Chittaeorum" idololatricum, per "terram Chaldaeorum" profanatio et destructio veri, et per "Aschurem" ratiocinatio ex falsis; inde patet quod "Ejulate naves Tharschischi, quia devastata est Tyrus", significet quod non amplius aliquae cognitiones veri; quod "e terra Chittim manifeste veniet illis", significet idololatricum quod inde; "non cingulum amplius", significat quod nulla amplius cohaerentia veri cum bono; "en terra Chaldaeorum", significat quod sic profanatio et destructio veri; "Aschur fundavit eam in acervos", significat quod ratiocinatio ex falsis destruxerit; "redire ad mercedem meretriciam, et scortari cum omnibus regnis super faciebus orbis", significat falsificationem omnium veritatum totius ecclesiae.
[28] Apud eundem,
Rex Aschuris "ibit per Jehudam, inundabit et transibit, usque ad collum pertinget; et erunt motitationes 9
alarum ejus plenitudo latitudinis terrae tuae, Immanuel" (8:8);
"rex Aschuris" etiam hic significat ratiocinationem ex falsis contra vera; "ibit per Jehudam, inundabit et transibit", significat quod destruet bonum ecclesiae ("inundare" dicitur de falsis quia "aquae" significant illa); "usque ad collum pertinget" significat sic amplius nullam communicationem boni et veri; et "erunt motitationes 10
alarum ejus plenitudo latitudinis terrae tuae, Immanuel", significat quod falsa erunt contra omnia vera ecclesiae Domini: quod "latitudo terrae" significet vera ecclesiae, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno (n. 197), et inde in opposito sensu falsa; quare "motitationes 11
alarum ejus" significant ratiocinationes ex falsis contra vera; "plenitudo" significat omnia, ita "plenitudo latitudinis terrae" omnia vera ecclesiae.
[29] Apud eundem,
"In die illo erit germen Jehovae in decus et gloriam, et fructus terrae in magnificentiam et ornatum reliquiis Israelis" (4:2);
"germen Jehovae" quod erit in decus et in gloriam, significat verum ecclesiae; et "fructus terrae" qui erit in magnificentiam et ornatum, significat bonum ecclesiae; "Israel" significat ecclesiam spiritualem: quod non germen et fructus terrae erunt in decus, gloriam, magnificentiam et ornatum, patet; sed quod verum et bonum ecclesiae. Cum dicitur verum et bonum ecclesiae, intelligitur verum fidei et bonum amoris, nam omne verum est fidei et omne bonum est amoris.
[30] Apud eundem,
"Addidisti genti, Jehovah, glorificatus es, removisti omnes extremitates terrae" (26:15);
"gens", cui "Jehovah addidit", significat illos qui in bono amoris sunt, quos Sibi addixit: "extremitates terrae" quas "removit", significant falsa et mala quae infestant ecclesiam, a quibus purificavit eos.
[31] Apud eundem,
"Regem in pulchritudine sua videbunt oculi tui, spectabunt terram longinquitatum" (33:17);
"regem in pulchritudine sua videre" est genuinum verum quod a solo Domino; "spectare terram longinquitatum", significat extensionem intelligentiae et sapientiae.
[32] Apud eundem,
"Dedi Te in foedus populi ad restituendum terram;.... cantate caeli, et exulta terra, et personate montes cantu" (49:8, 13);
agitur ibi de Domino et de Ipsius adventu; instauratio ecclesiae ab Ipso describitur per "Dedi Te in foedus populi ad restituendum terram"; "restituere terram" est restaurare ecclesiam: quod Dominus non restituerit terram populo Judaico, notum est, sed quod instituerit ecclesiam apud gentes; gaudium inde describitur per "Cantate caeli, exulta terra, et personate montes cantu"; per "caelos" intelliguntur caeli ubi angeli qui in interioribus veris ecclesiae sunt, per "terram" intelligitur ecclesia apud homines, et per "montes" illi qui in bono amoris in Dominum sunt.
[33] Apud Jeremiam,
"Adulteris plena est terra, quia propter maledictionem luget terra; exaruerunt pascua deserti" (23:10);
"adulteri" significant illos qui adulterant bona ecclesiae; quare dicitur "Adulteris plena est terra, et propter maledictionem luget terra": "pascua deserti "quae "exaruerunt", significant nutritionem spiritualem nullam in tali ecclesia; "desertum" dicitur ubi non bonum quia non verum.
[34] Apud eundem,
"Siccitas super aquas ejus ut exarescant, quia terra sculptilium illa" (50:38);
"siccitas super aquas ut exarescant", significat quod non vera amplius ("aquae" sunt vera); "quia terra sculptilium illa", significat ecclesiam destructam per falsa quae ex propria intelligentia, quae dicunt esse vera; "sculptilia" significant illa falsa.
[35] Apud Ezechielem,
"Finis venit super quatuor plagas terrae;.... terra plena est judicio sanguinum, et urbs plena est violentia" (7:2, 23);
"Finis venit super quatuor plagas terrae", significat ultimum tempus et ultimum statum ecclesiae quando ejus finis; "quatuor plagae" sunt omnia vera et bona ejus, et in opposito sensu omnia falsa et mala ejus, ita omnia ecclesiae: "terra plena judicio sanguinum", significat quod referta malis omnis generis; "sanguines" sunt mala quae violentiam inferunt bonis amoris et charitatis et ea prorsus destruunt; "urbs plena violentia, significat doctrinam illius ecclesiae similiter.
[36] Apud eundem,
"Omnia luminaria lucis in caelo atrabo super te, et dabo tenebras super terra tua" (32:8);
per "luminaria lucis in caelis" intelliguntur sol, luna et stellae; et per "solem" significatur amor, per "lunam" fides inde, et per "stellas" cognitiones boni et veri; inde patet quid significatur per "atrabo illa super te", nempe quod non amplius existant; inde etiam patet quid significatur per "dabo tenebras super terra tua", quod nempe falsa in ecclesia ("tenebrae" sunt falsa, et "terra" est ecclesia).
[37] Apud eundem,
"Propheta de terra Israelis, et dic montibus et collibus et rivis et vallibus, .... ecce Ego apud vos, et respiciam ad vos, ut excolamini et conseramini" (36:6, 9);
per "terram Israelis" intelligitur ecclesia; "montes, colles, rivi et valles", significant omnia ecclesiae a primis ejus ad ultima; "montes" sunt bona amoris in Dominum, "colles" sunt bona charitatis erga proximum; haec sunt prima ecclesiae: "rivi" et "valles" sunt vera et bona quae ultima ecclesiae. Quod illa significentur, constare potest ex illis quae in hoc articulo praemissa sunt, quod nempe super montibus in caelo habitent qui in bono amoris in Dominum sunt, super collibus qui in charitate erga proximum, et in planitiebus et vallibus qui in bonis et veris in ultimo caelo: "rivi" sunt vera doctrinae ibi; illa inseminare, significatur per "respiciam ad vos ut excolamini et conseramini."
[38] Apud Hoscheam,
"In die illo...exaudiam caelos, et hi exaudient terram, et terra exaudiet frumentum et mustum et oleum, et haec exaudient 12
Jisreelem; et seminabo 13
eam Mihi in terra" (2:21-23);
quod haec spiritualiter intelligenda sint et non naturaliter secundum sensum litterae, patet, nam dicitur quod "haec exaudient 14
Jisreelem, et seminabo 15
eam Mihi in terra"; quare per "caelos" intelliguntur caeli ubi Dominus, et per "terram" ecclesia ubi etiam Dominus; per "frumentum, mustum et oleum" significantur omnia nutritionis spiritualis, quae sunt bona amoris et charitatis ac vera fidei.
[39] Apud Malachiam,
"Non corrumpet vobis fructum terrae, neque orba erit vobis vitis in agro:.... praedicabunt vos beatos omnes gentes, et eritis vos terra beneplaciti" (3:11, 12);
haec dicuntur de illis apud quos et in quibus ecclesia; et quia per "fructum terrae" et "vitem in agro" significantur bona et vera ecclesiae (per "fructum" bona et per "vitem" vera ejus), ideo vocantur "terra beneplaciti."
[40] Apud Davidem,
"Spiritus tuus bonus ducat me in terram rectitudinis, propter nomen tuum Jehovah vivifica me" (Psalms 143:10, [Psalms 143:11]);
"terra rectitudinis" pro ecclesia in qua rectum et verum: et quia "Spiritus Jehovae" significat Divinum Verum, et quisque vitam spiritualem per id accipit, quare dicitur, "Spiritus tuus bonus ducat me", et "Jehovah vivifica me."
[41] Quia "terra" significat ecclesiam, et ubi ecclesia ibi caelum, ideo hoc dicitur "terra viventium" et "terra vitae": "terra viventium" apud Esaiam,
"Dixeram, Non videbo Jah in terra Viventium" (38:11);
et apud Ezechielem,
"Qui dederunt terrorem in terra viventium" (32:23, 24, 25, 26, 27):
"terra vitae" apud Davidem,
"Nisi crederem videre bonum.... in terra vitae" (Psalms 27:13);
[42] apud Mosen,
"Lapis integer et justus erit, epha integra et justa erit, ut prolongentur dies tui super terra" (Deut. 25:15 16
);
"prolongari dies super terra" non significat diuturnitatem vitae in mundo, sed statum vitae in ecclesia, ita in caelo; "prolongari" enim praedicatur de bono et ejus augmento, et "dies" significat statum vitae: et quia "lapis integer et justus" qui erat pondus, ac "epha integra et justa" quae erat mensura, significant verum ac bonum et quale eorum, et utrumque simul justitiam ("lapis" verum, et "mensura" bonum), ac non fallere per pondus et per mensuram est justum, ideo illis erit vita ecclesiae, ac postea vita in caelo, quod intelligitur per quod "prolongarentur dies illorum super terra."
[43] Simile significatur in praecepto Decalogi,
"Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, ut prolongentur dies tui super terra" (Exodus 20:12);
quod caelum et felicitas ibi illis qui honorant patrem et matrem, est quia in caelo non scitur alius Pater quam Dominus, ab Ipso enim omnes qui ibi generati sunt e novo; et in caelo per "matrem" intelligitur ecclesia, in genere regnum Domini: quod illi qui colunt Dominum et quaerunt regnum Ipsius, vitam in caelo habituri sint, patet; tum quod multi ex illis qui honorant patrem et matrem in mundo, non diu ibi vivant.
[44] Apud Matthaeum,
"Beati mites, quia hereditatem accipient terrae" (5:5);
"hereditas terrae" non significat possessionem terrae, sed possessionem caeli et beatitudinem ibi; "mites" significant qui in bono charitatis sunt.
[45] Apud Esaiam,
"Ecce Virgo concipiet et pariet Filium, et vocabit nomen Ipsius, Deus nobiscum; butyrum et mel comedet, ut sciat reprobare malum et eligere bonum: nam antequam scit Puer reprobare malum et eligere bonum, deseretur terra quam tu fastidis coram duobus regibus ejus.... .Fiet in die illo...prae multitudine faciendi lac comedet butyrum, nam butyrum et mel comedet omnis residuus in medio terrae" (7:14-16, [21,] 22):
quod haec de Domino et Ipsius adventu dicta sint, notum est; "butyrum et mel" quae comedet, significant bona amoris, "butyrum" bonum amoris caelestis et spiritualis, "mel" bonum amoris naturalis; per haec intelligitur, quod appropriaret Sibi Divinum etiam quoad Humanum ("edere" significat appropriare); quod "deseretur terra antequam scit reprobare malum et eligere bonum", significat quod non aliquid ecclesiae in terrarum orbe residuum esset cum nasceretur: et quia illi ubi erat ecclesia rejecerunt omne Divinum Verum ac omnia Verbi perverterunt et ad sui favorem explicuerunt, ideo dicitur de terra, hoc est, ecclesia, "quam tu fastidis coram duobus regibus ejus"; "reges" significant caeli et ecclesiae vera, "duo reges" verum Verbi in sensu interno seu spirituali et verum Verbi in sensu externo seu naturali: "lac" significat verum per quod bonum; et quia "butyrum" significat bonum inde, ideo "prae multitudine faciendi lac comedet butyrum omnis residuus in medio terrae", significat quod omne verum erit boni.
[46] Apud Matthaeum,
In consummatione saeculi "plangent omnes tribus terrae" (24:30);
"consummatio saeculi", de qua in eo capite agitur, est ultimum tempus ecclesiae, quando judicium; "omnes tribus terrae" significant omnia vera et bona ecclesiae, quae "plangere" dicuntur quando non amplius sunt.
[47] Apud Lucam,
"Tunc erunt signa in sole, luna et astris, et super terra angustia gentium, resonante mari et salo. Exanimatis hominibus prae metu et exspectatione supervenientium in terrarum orbem, nam potestates caelorum concutientur." .... Dies iste "sicut laqueus veniet super omnes qui sedent super facie terrae totius" (21:25, 26, 35);
agitur etiam ibi de ultimo tempore ecclesiae quando judicium, et per "terram" et "orbem" ibi intelligitur ecclesia; "angustia gentium super terra", "metus et exspectatio supervenientium in terrarum orbem", ac "super omnes qui sedent super facie terrae totius", non significat quod super illos qui in terris in mundo naturali sunt, sed super illos qui in mundo spirituali; (quod etiam ibi terrae sint, videatur in praemissis hujus articuli, et quod ibi peractum sit ultimum judicium, videatur in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio;) quid "sol", "luna", et "astra", in quibus signa, supra dictum est, quod nempe "sol" significet amorem, "luna" fidem inde, et "astra" cognitiones boni et veri; "resonante mari et salo" significat ratiocinationes et impugnationes veri ex sensu litterae Verbi sinistre et perverse applicato; "potestates caelorum" quae concutientur, significant Verbum in sensu litterae, quoniam hic sensus est fundamentum veritatum spiritualium quae sunt in caelis. (Videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno, in articulo ubi agitur De Conjunctione Caeli cum Homine per Verbum, n. De Caelo et Inferno 303-310.)
[48] Apud Esaiam,
"Cantate caeli, .... jubilate inferiora terrae, personate montes cantu, silva et omnis arbor in ea, quia redemit Jehovah Jacobum:.... Ego Jehovah faciens omnia, expandens caelos solus, extendens terram a Me Ipso" (44:23, 24);
"Cantate caeli, jubilate inferiora terrae, personate montes cantu, silva et omnis arbor in ea", significant omnia caeli et ecclesiae tam interna quam externa, quae omnia se referunt ad bonum et ad verum; interna significantur per "caelos", externa per "inferiora terrae", "montes" sunt bona amoris", "silva" est verum naturale, et "arbores" ibi sunt cognitiones veri: quoniam talia significantur, dicitur, "quia redemit Jehovah Jacobum"; per "Jacobum" in Verbo significatur ecclesia externa, et per "Israelem" ecclesia interna: "expandere caelos et extendere terram" significat ecclesiam utrobivis, quae expanditur et extenditur per multiplicationem veri et fructificationem boni apud illos qui ab ecclesia sunt.
[49] Apud Sachariam,
"Jehovah extendens caelos, et fundans terram, et formans spiritum hominis in medio ejus" (12:1);
similiter hic per "caelos" et per "terram" significatur ecclesia utrobivis, ita quoad interiora et quoad exteriora ejus; quare etiam dicitur, "formans spiritum hominis in medio ejus."
[50] Apud Jeremiam,
"Dii qui caelum et terram non fecerunt, pereant de terra et de sub caelis": Jehovah "faciens terram per virtutem suam, praeparans orbem per sapientiam suam, et per intelligentiam suam extendens caelos; ad vocem quam dat Ille multitudo aquarum in caelis, et ascendere facit vapores a fine terrae" (10:11-13; cap. 51 [15,], 16);
quia "caeli" et "terra" significant ecclesiam (ut supra), ideo dicitur, Jehovah "faciens terram per virtutem suam, praeparans orbem per sapientiam suam, et extendens caelos per intelligentiam suam"; et quoque ideo dicitur, "ad vocem quam dat Ille multitudo aquarum in caelis, et ascendere facit vapores a fine terrae"; per "vocem quam Jehovah dat", significatur Divinum Verum procedens ab Ipso; per "multitudinem aquarum in caelis" significantur vera in copia, "aquae" enim significant vera; et per "vapores" quos "ascendere facit a fine terrae" significantur vera ultima ecclesiae ("vapores" sunt illa vera, et "finis terrae" est ultimum ecclesiae): et quia "dii" significant falsa doctrinae et cultus, quae destruunt ecclesiam, ideo dicitur, "Dii qui non fecerunt caelum et terram pereant de terra et de sub caelis."
[51] Apud Davidem,
Jehovah "qui facit caelos per intelligentiam, .... et expandit terram super aquas" (Psalms 136:5, 6);
quia per "caelum" et "terram" significatur ecclesia, et ecclesia formatur per vera, et vera ecclesiae faciunt intelligentiam, ideo dicitur "Jehovah facit caelos per intelligentiam, et expandit terram super aquas"; "aquae" sunt vera ecclesiae.
[52] Apud Esaiam,
"Sic dixit Deus Jehovah, creans caelos et expandens illos, extendens terram et producta ejus, dans animam populo super ea, et spiritum ambulantibus in ea" (42:5);
per "creare caelos" et "extendere terram et producta ejus", significatur formare ecclesiam et reformare illos qui ibi sunt ("producta" sunt omnia ecclesiae); quare dicitur "dans animam populo super ea et spiritum ambulantibus in ea"; quod "creare" sit reformare, videatur supra (n. 294).
[53] Apud eundem,
"Stillate caeli desuper, et nubes defluant justitia; aperiat se terra, et fructificet salutem. .... Ego feci terram, et hominem super ea creavi. .... Sic dixit Jehovah, creans caelos, Ille Deus, formans terram et faciens illam, et praeparans illam:.... non in occulto locutus sum, in loco terrae tenebrarum" (45:8, 12, 18, 19);
quod hic per "caelos et terram" intelligantur omnia ecclesiae, tam interna quam externa ejus, patet, nam dicitur, "Stillate caeli, et nubes defluant justitia; aperiat se terra, et fructificet salutem"; quod per "caelos" interiora ecclesiae significentur, est quia interiora, quae sunt mentis spiritualis hominis, sunt caeli apud illum; (quod apud hominem, apud quem est ecclesia, sit caelum, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 30 et 57); per "creare caelos et formare terram ac facere et praeparare eam" significatur plene instituere ecclesiam.
[54] Apud eundem,
"Ecce Ego creans caelos novos et terram novam, nec commemorabuntur priora" (65:17);
per "creare caelos novos et terram novam" significatur instaurare novam ecclesiam quoad interiora et exteriora ejus, tam in caelis quam in terris (ut supra).
[55] Apud eundem,
"Quis audivit sicut hoc? .... Num parturiet terra die uno? num generabitur gens vice una? .... Quemadmodum caeli novi et terra nova, quae Ego facturus, stabunt coram Me, .... sic stabit semen vestrum et nomen vestrum" (66:8, 22);
quia per "terram" significatur ecclesia, ideo dicitur "Num parturiet terra die uno? num generabitur gens vice una?" per "parturire" et "partum" ac per "generare" et "generationem" in Verbo significantur partus et generatio spiritualis, quae sunt fidei et amoris, ita reformatio ac regeneratio; quid "caeli novi" et "terra nova", supra dictum est.
[56] Apud Jeremiam,
"Ego feci terram, hominem et bestiam quae super faciebus terrae; .... et do eam qui rectus in oculis meis" (27:5);
per "hominem et bestiam" quae "super faciebus terrae", significantur affectiones veri et boni in spirituali et naturali homine (videatur n. 280 [b] : et in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 17
7424, 7523, 7872); et quia illae affectiones apud homines faciunt ecclesiam apud illos, ideo dicitur "Feci terram, hominem et bestiam quae super faciebus terrae, et do eam qui rectus in oculis meis": quod Deus non det terram solum illis qui recti sunt in oculis Ipsius, sed etiam illis qui non recti sunt, notum est; non autem ecclesiam nisi illis qui recti; "rectum" significat verum et ejus affectionem.
[57] Apud Esaiam,
"Caeli sicut fumus evanescent, et terra sicut vestis veterascet, et habitatores sicut ita morientur" (51:6);
"caeli" qui evanescent, et "terra" quae sicut vestis veterascet significant ecclesiam; haec successive labitur et tandem desolatur, non autem caelum aspectabile et terra habitabilis; quare dicitur, "et habitatores sicut ita morientur"; "mori" significat spiritualiter mori.
Simile significatur per quod "Caeli et terra transibunt" (Matthaeus 24:35; Marcus 13:31; Luca 16:17).
[58] In Apocalypsi,
"Quatuor angeli stantes super quatuor angulis terrae, retinentes quatuor ventos terrae, ut non flaret ventus super terram" (7:12 18
);
per "quatuor angulos terrae", et per "quatuor ventos terrae", significantur omnia vera et bona ecclesiae in complexu; similia enim per illos significantur quae per quatuor plagas caeli (quae quod significent illa, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno, De Quatuor Plagis in Caelo, n. 141-153); "retinere" illos significat quod non influant quia non recipiuntur; quare dicitur "ut non flaret ventus super terram." Similiter "terra" significat ecclesiam alibi in Apocalypsi (Ut cap. 10:2, 5, 6, 8 ; 12:16; 13:13; 16:2, 14; 20:8, 9, 11; 21:1), praeter multis aliis in locis in Verbo, quae propter multitudinem non adducuntur.
[59] Quia "terra" significabat ecclesiam, et imprimis "Terra Canaan", quoniam ibi erat ecclesia, et quia ecclesia quae ibi erat ecclesia repraesentativa, ideo omnia quae ibi erant repraesentabant, et quae ad illos a Domino dicta sunt significabant spiritualia seu interiora ecclesiae, et hoc usque ad ipsam terram et ad ejus producta; prout haec apud Mosen:
Si observes praecepta, "Jehovah.... ducturus te in terram bonam, in terram fluviorum aquae, fontium, abyssorum exeuntium ex valle et monte; terram tritici, hordei, vitis, ficus, malogranati; terram olivae olei, mellis; terram ubi non cum defectu edes panem, nihil deficiet; terram ubi lapides ferrum, et ex montibus effoditur cuprum; et comedes et satiaberis in terra hac bona" (Deuteronomius 8:1, 7-10);
per haec describuntur omnia ecclesiae, tam interiora quam exteriora ejus; sed exponere quid singula significant, prolixum foret, nec hujus loci est.
[60] Quia "terra" significabat ecclesiam, ideo inter benedictiones fuit quod
Si viverent secundum praecepta, terra daret proventum, cessarent ferae malae e terra, nec gladius pertransiret terram ( 19
Levit. 26:3, 4, 6);
quod "terra daret proventum" 20
significat quod in ecclesia esset bonum et verum; quod "cessarent ferae malae" significat quod affectiones malae et concupiscentiae, quae illam destruunt, non essent; quod "gladius non pertransiret terram" significat quod non falsum ejiceret verum.
[61] Quia "terra" significabat ecclesiam, etiam statutum erat quod
Septimus annus esset sabbatum terrae, et non labor super illa (Leviticus 25:1-8):
et quoque ideo dicitur
Terra polluta propter mala, et quod propter abominationes exspueret illos (Levit. 18:28 21
).
Et quia "terra" significabat ecclesiam,
Ideo Dominus exspuit in terram, et fecit lutum ex sputo, et inunxit super oculos caeci, et dixit, "Abi, lava te in lacu Siloah" (Johannes 9:6, 7, 11, 15):
Et ideo Dominus, cum Scribae et Pharisaei quaerebant Ipsum de muliere in adulterio deprehensa, deorsum Se incurvans scribebat in terra bis (Johannes 8:6, 8);
per quod significatur quod ecclesia plena esset adulteriis, hoc est, plena adulteratione boni et falsificatione veri: quare etiam Dominus dixit illis,
"Qui vestrum immunis est a peccato primus in eam jaciat lapidem: .... sed unus post alium exibant, initio facto a senioribus usque ad ultimos" (vers. 7, 9).
[62] Quoniam pleraque in Verbo etiam sensum oppositum habent, ita quoque "terra", quae in eo sensu significat ecclesiam vastatam; quae est quando non amplius bonum amoris et verum fidei, sed loco illorum malum et falsum; haec quia damnant hominem, per "terram" in eo sensu etiam significatur damnatio, ut in sequentibus his locis:Esai., cap. 14:12; 21:9; 25:12; 26:19, 21; 29:4; 47:1; cap. 63:6: Thren., cap. 2:2, 10: Ezech., cap. 26:20; 32:24; Numeri 16:29-33; 26:10: et alibi.
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